NOVEMBER 5 , 2006

Prayer is an amazing grace. It is indispensable. It is paradoxical.

Amazing! Talking with the God of the universe.

Indispensable! Knowing God as both Father and Friend as preparation for eternity.

Paradoxical -- It doesn't altogether make sense to the natural mind, but it's true anyway !

God knows our needs, but He wants us to pray anyway. Why? To prepare us for eternity .

I. Do you boldly come into the presence of God in prayer?

Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of our gracious God . There we will receive mercy, and there we will find grace to help us when we need it (Heb. 4:16, NLT, AMP). Jesus Himself pioneered for us a new way of prayer that wasn't possible in the OT:

A. The idea of God as a loving heavenly Father was an idea born in the New Testament. Every child has direct access to the Father -- we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess (NIV).

B. It means that God can give us mercy . We do not go to One who is incapable of understanding what is happening to us; we go through One who has been where we are .

Verse 15, For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin .

C. Prayer enlists God to help us . When the storm comes, call on the name of the Lord who is able to wrap you up secure, keep you afloat and so bless your life.

D. The result of prayer is more amazing grace . Grace means God's blessing, God's gift.

For the purposes of prayer God is my PAPA, a loving heavenly Father:

   P – Present yourself to God with no pretending. Come as you are. Be honest to God.

   A – Attend to who God is when you pray.   

P – Purify yourself of sinful desires.

A – Approach God with confidence that what He wants to give us most is His presence.

-over-

II. How do we keep open our communication with God?

A. Be a person who remains in the words of Jesus. Jesus said, If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (John 15:7-8, NIV).

Ask three questions:

  1. In what ways can I obey God better? I John 3:21-22 "Dear friends, we receive from Him anything we ask, because we obey His commands and do what pleases Him."

   2. In what ways does God want me to bear fruit in my life? Jesus said, You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other (John 15:16-17, NIV).

3. Do I really want God's will ? 1 John 5:14 -- This is the assurance we have in approaching God that, if we ask anything according to His will , He hears us and if we know that He hears us, then whatever we ask, we know that we have what we've asked of Him.

B. In Mark 11:24-25, Jesus says have a forgiving attitude toward other people. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours. Condition: And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him so that your Father in heaven may forgive your sins.

C. The third condition for answered prayer is to believe that God will answer.

James 1: 6, W hen you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord. He's a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

III. Do you intercede for others in prayer?

An intercessor in prayer is one who “makes a request in behalf of another.” Paul wrote, I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone

(1 Timothy 2:1-2, NIV).

An intercessor and mediator are not the same. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men (1 Tim 2:5-6, NIV).

Prayer will inspire the miracles of God in your life and the lives of others.

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