UNCOMMON Prayer: Teach Us To Pray

Teach Us To Pray : Part 1 “Uncommon Prayer”

Thoughts:  Jesus asked 339 questions in the Gospels…He only Answered 3…

The Disciples asked a very critical question and it is question Jesus actually answers…but his answer is frame work…not formula.

Luke 11:1-2 11 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” ESV

Eph 6:17-20 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints —  19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. NKJV

Introduction:  There are some things you’ll get out of prayer that you’ll never get out of praise.  Everything we will do for the Lord will come through the vehicle of prayer.  The struggle is Outwardly, we agree that prayer is worthwhile, but secretly we wonder:

• Does God really hear me when I pray?
• Why does it seem as if my prayers just hit the ceiling and bounce back at me?
• Is God mad at me? Is that why He doesn’t answer me?
• Why is prayer so boring and fruitless for me?
• Shouldn’t I expect my prayers to be answered?

To understand the principles of Prayer, it is necessary for us to understand the mind and purpose of the Creator Himself.  Prayer is a result of God’s established authority structure between heaven and earth, as well as God remaining faithful to His own word.  Prayer is as simple as respecting God’s authority.  This is because prayer was born out of God’s arrangements for man’s assignment on earth; it happened when the creator spoke two words during the creation process: “let them.”

Gen 1:26-27  26 Then God said,”Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all* the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. NKJV

By these words the Creator of the Universe defined the boundaries of His right to legally influence and interfere in the earth realm.  This is based on God’s integrity…His Commitment to His own Word.  Here these four principles that God goes by:

• God’s purpose is more important than our plans.
• God has placed His Word above even Himself.
• God will never violate or break His Word
• God’s holiness is the foundation of His integrity and faithfulness.

Ps 119:89-90 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. 90 Your faithfulness endures to all generations; NKJV

   Ps 138:2  2 I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name. NKJV

Transition:  So when God said in Genesis, “Let them” have dominion and authority…no where in scripture does God take that back from mankind…this is the reason why Jesus had to be born of a woman and come in human flesh…to not violate the law of God’s word, yet redeem men.

1. So What is Prayer
   1. Prayer is man giving God the legal right and permission to interfere in earth’s affairs.
   2. Prayer is man giving heaven earthly license to influence earth.
   3. Prayer is a terrestrial license for celestial interference.
   4. Prayer is man exercising his legal authority on earth to invoke heaven’s influence on the planet.
   5. Consider this: Every action taken by God in the earth realm required the involvement of human beings.
      1. To rescue humanity from the flood God needed Noah.
      2. For the beginning of a nation, God needed Abraham.

• To lead a nation out of captivity, God required the assistance of Moses.

1. To bring Israel out of captivity another time…God used Daniel.
2. To defeat Jericho, God used Joshua and a Shout
3. For the preservation of the Hebrew people, God used an orphan girl named Esther.

• For the salvation of Humanity, God the Son, wrapped himself in flesh and came into this world through a virgin named Mary…He had to become a man.

Transition:  Prayer is not a requirement of the believer…it is the privilege of the believer; prayer is a necessity to see the hand of God move in the earth.  Without you and I praying, heaven will not – and without heaven, earth cannot.

John Wesley, the great Methodist, said:  “God does nothing but in answer to prayer.”

Example:  If God has intervened in your life as a result of prayer over the past 6 months…I mean you prayed, and God answered…STAND TO YOUR FEET!

If you are praying about something you and I need to understand that prayer is our connecting point with the Kingdom of God.

Hezekiah received a word that he was going to die…He prayed and before the prophet could leave the room, God added 15 years to Hezekiah’s life.  See we need to move beyond people praying for us…but we learn to pray!

FIVE REASONS WHY WE CANNOT GO ON WITHOUT PRAYER

1. Prayer Empties the Heart of all its Cares
   1. People are overstressed…
   2. We talk to everyone but the Lord
   3. 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see the Lord.”
      1. Pure – means to clean out the heart…clean it out of all the cares, worries, burdens, struggles and issues…that you and I can’t fix anyway.
   4. Hannah
      1. Had a sorrowful spirit and it kept her womb shut but as she began to pray and wail before the Lord.
         1. Not being cute
         2. Not caring what others think
         3. Not an intellectual exchange with the Lord
      2. She unloaded on God and immediately after this time of prayer she became pregnant with a son, a son that would be the last Judge and the First Prophet…a son of purpose which carried and double office along with a double anointing.
         1. See some things you are fighting for and are in anguish about…when God answers it will be better than you could have ever imagined…
      3. Peter encourages us to “cast all your cares upon the Lord for He cares for you and I.”
         1. More than a gimmie list
      4. Prayer is when and where we begin to learn the personality fo God and get a clear vision of who He is and who you are.

• Prayer Acknowledges that the Answer is Beyond Human Ability
  1. The very moment you bow your knees is a declaration of: “I don’t have the answer.”
  2. It declares: “He is the author and finisher of our faith.”
  3. God has everything you and I need…even the word NO.
  4. See Humility rises up in our lives when we pray: It’s placing our focus of Hope on the Lord Jesus.

1. You Receive Divine Direction Through Prayer
   1. Life of Jonah
      1. People look at Jonah’s life and have preached on everything possible.
      2. The greatest lesson of the book of Jonah is: Decisions made outside of prayer leads to storms and destruction
         1. The whole reason Jonah ended up in the belly of a fish is because he didn’t pray or wasn’t obedient to what he heard when he prayed.
      3. See Isa called Jesus, the Messiah, WONDERFUL COUNSELOR
         1. Do nothing without prayer!
         2. Never make a major decision without prayer

• Jesus is our Counselor.

Prov 3:5-6

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct* your paths.

1. We must learn to acknowledge the Lord in all our ways…
   1. Jesus said in the Disciples Prayer: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”
      1. The will of God is done in heaven, the problem is it isn’t done on earth.
         1. Prayer is the umbilical cord from heavens will into your life.
         2. Thy will be done, not talked about
            1. I want to see it in my life…
            2. See it in my children!
            3. See it in my home!
            4. See the will of God done in our church!
            5. See the will of God done in my money!

YOU AND I CAN’T AFFORD ANOTHER MISTAKE

1. God cannot be Manipulated.
   1. We try to manipulate God…
   2. We’ve learned to manipulate situations and people our whole lives so when we pray often times, we try to manipulate the Lord…instead of Just letting him be God

• We can’t get mad at God because He hasn’t come through on our time scale…and how we wanted Him to

1. God will not be manipulated.
   1. We love and acknowledge God regardless if He answers my prayer when and how I want Him to
2. Prayer Strengthens Our Intimacy with God
   1. The Old Folks in the Old Church didn’t have what we have today…but they knew how to get a hold of God
      1. Today you better have a nice building.
      2. A good worship team.

• And the Preacher better be able to preach…

1. The generation before us knew God and knew how to pray….
2. We get close to people who know God

Heb 4:16

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

1. Prayer Changes Me
   1. Prayer Changes
      1. My attitude
      2. My heart

• My motives

1. Gives me Favor
2. Prayer changes the circumstances
3. Prayer Moves the heart of God

• Prayer Looses Angels.

Closing:

2 Chron 7:14-16

if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. 1 NKJV