Words that change our hearts and our world! Part 3

Words that Change our hearts and the world Part 3

Just a little review first

Part 1 we talked about

We should always pray

Prayer is not an option it is a command from God

Prayer has power

Part 2 we talked about most effective ways to pray

Get in a quiet place

Know who you are talking to

Schedule a time to pray

Create a prayer list

Pray specifically

Pray out loud at times

Take time to listen

We know we need to pray and the attitude and aptitude of prayer

What are the types of prayer

– We talked about quiet, alone, prayer as one type of prayer

– We know also that when we pray, regardless of the type of prayer, we need to pray in faith. James challenges us when praying for the sick

James 5:15a

“a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well….”

Through time of spending in prayer we learn to hear from Him and more and more of our prayers are answered because we are praying His will. 1 John 5:14

“And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.”

We need to understand that prayer is a battle. Our flesh does not want to take the time or energy to pray but the enemy as we have seen in these skits especially does not want us to pray.

In Matthew Jesus had gone through His temptation in the wilderness and had defeated the devils advances and in Matthew 4:10,11 we read this…

“Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’” 11 Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.

Remember Jesus is God in the flesh but later Jesus has to rebuke Satan again. Matthew 16:23

Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

Satan never won with Jesus obviously but we have to have a “Jesus” mind set to stay focused

Types of prayer

– Thanksgiving

Philippians 4:6 and Colossians 4:2 tell us to pray with thanksgiving.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.”

“Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.”

Psalm 95 and 100 tell us to enter into the presence of God with thanksgiving.

When Christ prayed He often gave thanks – Matthew 15:36; 26:26, 27; Luke 22:19.

Praying with thanksgiving should be a regular part of our prayer life.

Two weeks ago we read this scripture from 1 Thessalonians 5: 16 – 18

Always be joyful. Never stop praying.  Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

A grateful heart is a heart God can work with

– Supplication – this is a word ill bet you used this week. It is an old word and Philippians 4:6 uses it in the New King James

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

God really cares about you and I know some of you struggle with that but supplication is prayer that you pray for what you need. It is asking for the stuff of earth and heaven that you need to get you through the day.

The Greek word for this is used 60 times in the New Testament

The point being that it is not arrogant to pray for your own needs. God welcomes you with open arms when you take your genuine requests for help to Him.

– Intercessory prayer – standing in between two people, it is praying on behalf of others

1 Timothy 2:1 “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.”

Notice here that Paul doesn’t tell us to pray only for those people we like but to pray for all people…we are to intercede, stand in the gap for implore God for all men and women regardless. The power of any nation is in the hands of the church.

We can stand in the gap for our families, our neighbors, our nation, our work place our schools, people that are hurting or broken and the Lord hears it and moves on their behalf.

Both Supplication and Intercessory prayer can involve, healing, prophetic insight and spiritual warfare

– Consecration – this is the type of prayer where something is dedicated, or set apart to the Lord or confirmed to the Lord.

Christ’s prayer over Communion in Matthew 26, Luke 22, Mark 14 is this kind of prayer.

Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel 1:9-11 is an example of a dedication that does not seem like a prayer but truly is.

So Hannah arose after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the tabernacle of the Lord. 10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish. 11 Then she made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.”

Then in the New Testament Acts 13: 1-3

Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

We can consecrate our day, our jobs, our families all to the Lord anything that we have the authority over we can dedicate to God

Whatever type of prayer you pray know that God is listening. We are called to all of these types of prayer.

As I started this teaching out

1 John 5:14

“And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.”

So many times we simply throw up prayers to heaven, God hears them but are we really able to hear Him? Do we know that our prayers have been answered.

You do if you have listened over this last few weeks, our praying isn’t simply for us to have what we need, God cares and makes things happen but through prayer, our words do change our hearts and the world.

As we believe this let’s put it to work today, what do you need prayer for? Let us agree in prayer for your mountains to move.

Here is the power of prayer wrapped up in one verse Jesus shared

Matthew 17:20

“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”

What is impossible for you right now? Whatever it is I hope you realize now that nothing is impossible and your prayers can change your world!

 

 

Words that change our hearts and the world Part 1

Words that change our hearts and the world! Part 1

Everyone knows we should pray but the idea of prayer to many is boring or only used in a crisis or perhaps frustrating because we have prayed and our prayers seem to have gone unanswered.

I had shared this on facebook last week Daniel’s habit in prayer

“But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.” Daniel 6:10

He prayed 3 times per day everyday. As you read about each of the great men and women of God we find them in prayer often.

Very quickly today I want to share with you what the Bible says about prayer

1) How often should we pray?

Daniel prayed three times per day as I mentioned earlier is that what we should do?

Paul said in his first letter to the Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Pray without ceasing what is that about?

As a Christian you have the “ear” of the almighty God, the one with the power of all creation. We simply get frustrated with the learning process, the process of knowing his heart and reacting to his heart

Prayer builds that relationship just like talking and spending time with a friend or spouse builds that relationship as well.

Don’t know how you could pray all of the time?

2) Prayer is not negotiable it is a command of God

Matthew 5:44 “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Matthew 6:9 “Pray then like this. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.”

Matthew 9:38 “Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

Luke 18:1 “And He told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.” (woman and unjust judge and Pharisee and tax collector)

Mark 14:38 “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

God would not ask us to pray if our prayers did not change things

3) Prayer has power

Here is one very powerful example 1 Kings 18:36-39

At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. 37 O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.” 38 Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”

Elijah could pray this prayer because he knew God,

Psalm 103:7 says this

He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.

Here is my challenge for you this week.

– 15 minutes a day in prayer

but also….

– every time you begin to worry stop and pray,

– every time you begin to get angry stop and pray

– every time you begin to feel out of control stop and pray.

Pray for Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, and Gary Johnson that they might come into a real encounter with the Lord

Believe as you pray that there is power in your prayers to change the world!