The Power of Persistent Prayer
Matthew 7:7-11
March 11, 2001
Morning Service
Introduction
I. The reality of Prayer
A businessman who needed millions of dollars to clinch an important deal went to church to pray for the money. By chance he knelt next to a man who was praying for one hundred dollars to pay an urgent debt. The businessman took out his wallet and pressed one hundred dollars into the other man’s hand. Overjoyed, the man got up and joyfully left the church. The businessman then closed his eyes and prayed, "And now, Lord, that I have your undivided attention . . ."
II. Statistics on Prayer
According to a poll on prayer for Newsweek (3/31/97), the following percentage said:
They ask for health or success for a child or family member when they pray -- 82
They ask for strength to overcome a personal weakness -- 75
They never ask for financial or career success -- 36
God answers prayers -- 87
God doesn’t answer prayers -- 51
They believe God does not play favorites in answering prayers -- 82
God answers prayers for healing someone with an incurable disease -- 79
Prayers for help in finding a job are answered -- 73
They believe that when God doesn’t answer their prayers, it means it wasn’t God’s will to answer -- 54
They don’t turn away from God when prayers go unanswered -- 82
III. The key question of prayer
A. The power of prayer is evident
1. We cannot disregard that prayer is indeed a powerful force in the life of the church
2. We cannot disregard the fact that prayer is a powerful part of the lives of many Christians
B. The question that still remains
1. What about me?
2. Why does God seem to really answer the prayers of some people and not others? Why are some people more powerful in prayer?
Is it their faith? Maybe
Is it their relationship with God? Maybe
Is it the way that they pray? (The right words, the right posture or the right time of day) Definitely not
The answer may well be their persistence – They never gave up
Body
I. The Pattern of Persistent Prayer
A. The impact of prayer
1. The English understanding
a.) These words describing prayer are all verbs (ask, seek, knock) and they imply direct action. Thus we must understand prayer as being active rather than passive
b.) These words also have a natural progression of action from least aggressive too most aggressive. The issue Jesus is raising is one of intensity. If we pray half hearted once or twice a week we shouldn’t expect much from God
2. The deeper Greek meaning
a.) The statement that Jesus is making here is in the Greek imperative, which means that this is a command. When Jesus says this He fully expects every believer to be active in prayer. Prayer is not an option.
b.) Pastors and churches have to get uncomfortable enough to say, “We are not New Testament Christians if we don’t have a prayer life.” Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire p. 50
c.) The way Jesus says these words are also important because they are in the present tense. These are words of continuous action. In English this would read keep asking, keep seeking and keep knocking
B. The three steps to persistent prayer
1. Step one: asking
a.) Asking is to make a request of God
b.) Two realities of asking
1.) We ask something of God when we have a need
2.) We ask something of God because He can provide for all of our needs
2. Step two: seeking
a.) Seeking is asking plus action (Example: Car shopping)
b.) We seek when we need something of value to us
c.) There are times when we need to take an active role in answers to prayer
d.) Pray as if everything depends on God, then work as if everything depends on you. Martin Luther
3. Step three: knocking
a.) Knocking is asking plus action plus attitude. This implies our petition in asking, our purpose in action and our persistence in knocking
b.) We knock when we are shut out from what we need and desire entrance. We knock on the things that only God can do
c.) Two key realities
1.) When knocking we try every door until we find the right one
2.) Once we find the right door we continue knocking until we gain entrance. This is a revealing factor in how much we depend on God
II. The Purpose of Persistent Prayer
A. Prayer is based upon conditions
1. The first condition is that we are sincere
Q – Why would God give us anything if we aren’t genuine in our request?
2. The second condition is that we must follow the process of prayer
a.) If we want to receive we must ask, if we want to find we must seek and if we want entrance we must knock
b.) You receive nothing because you ask for nothing – if the biggest request you make of God everyday is to bless your corn flakes in the morning you aren’t going to get much from God
3. Persistent prayer teaches us four things
a.) Prayer teaches us to communicate with God and trust in Him
b.) Prayer teaches us patience and hope in God
c.) Prayer teaches us to love God
d.) Prayer demonstrates our trust in God
B. Prayers are heard and answered by God
1. Every prayer from every believer is heard and answered by God
2. If the request is wrong, God says, "No."
If the timing is wrong, God says, "Slow."
If you are wrong, God says, "Grow."
But if the request is right, the timing is right and you are right, God says, "Go!" – Bill Hybels
C. Prayer allows us to see God’s caring
1. God cares more for us than any earthly father
a.) God wants us to approach Him as father
b.) We have a tremendous privilege to be called a child of God
2. God is personally attached to you
a.) God loves you fully and completely – He will provide us with all that we need
b.) God promises to will care for us as a father should
III. The Power of Persistent Prayer
A. Our first task is to go to God
1. God wants you to come to Him
a.) God has made a family relationship with us. His desire is for us to go to Him
b.) Romans 8:15-16
15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
2. God is more than able to do what we ask
a.) We have a constant opportunity to have an audience with the God of the universe
b.) We must not give up on God. His power will fall to us if we will persist in prayer with Him
B. We must go to God with pure motives and proper requests
1. Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
2. God will bless His people when they seek Him
Conclusion
At the Constitutional Convention there was so much bickering and fighting going on between the colonies that solutions to some problems seemed impossible. Benjamin Franklin proposed that, in an effort to affirm common ground and purpose, the delegates begin each day with prayer. Alexander Hamilton argued against the idea, saying it would give people the wrong impression-it might make the convention delegates appear desperate and unable to solve their own problems. The proposal came to a vote. At that moment our founding fathers made a crucial decision. They decided not to pray. They decided to do it themselves, without God’s help.
I. You cannot make it through life on your own
A. There is no way for us to make it through life without God
B. You need God
II. God is waiting for you to come to Him
