Sermon Central
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Prevailing Prayers
Contributed by Bishop Prof. Julius Soyinka on Aug 12, 2014 (message contributor)
Summary: God wants us to pray at all times and never to get wearied in praying. Jesus demonstrated to us the need for prevailing prayers, and we are to follow His good example.
PREVAILING PRAYERS
STUDY TEXT: LUKE 11:1-13
MEMORY VERSE: 1 THESS 5:17
INTRODUCTION
The Christian and the Church is in great need of powerful, persistent, passionate and prevailing prayer in our days more than ever before. A prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian, and a prayerless church is a powerless church.
When prayer fails, Satan prevails and the demons of hell will be rejoicing over the prayerlessness of a Christian and the church.
At the request of the disciples, Jesus taught them how to pray, thereby throwing a light to certain essentials for a prevailing prayer.
We shall discuss the topic under three (3) Subheadings:
1. The Conditions for Prevailing Prayer
2. The Characteristics of Prevailing Prayer
3. The Champions in Prevailing Prayer
1. The Conditions for Prevailing Prayer: James 5:14-18
1. Righteousness Ps 24:3-6
- A life submitted to the righteousness of God rather than self-righteousness is a necessity.
2. Repentance 2 Cor 7:10
- A genuine repentance that comes out of godly sorrow is required for all known sins.
3. Reconciliation Mark 11:25-26 Matt5:23-24
- No prayer will be answered if we secretly hold animosity or bitterness in our hearts against anyone.
4. Right Motive James 4:3
- God will not answer our prayers if our hearts is filled with selfish desires.
2. The Characteristics of Prevailing Prayer
1. Praying Specifically Phil 4:6
- We must specifically make our request known unto God.
2. Praying Fervently James 5:16
- We must be serious, conscious, and committed to our prayer, and not just handled as a mere religious exercise.
3. Praying Reverently Ps 51:1-2 Ps 100:1-5
- We must approach God with fear and trembling and with praises and thanksgiving.
4. Praying Believingly James 1:5-7
- We must pray with the assurance that God will hear and answer our prayers.
5. Praying Persistently Luke 18:1
- We must continue to pray until something happens, we are not to get tired or give up in praying.
3. The Champions in Prevailing Prayers
1. Hanah 1 Sam 1:9-18
- She prayed with faith
- She prayed with a vow
2. Jabez 3 1 Chron 4:9-10
- He prayed with faith
- He prayed with specific requests
3. Elijah 1King 18:41-46
- He prayed with faith
- He prayed persistently
4. The Apostles Acts 4:23-31
- They prayed with unity
- They prayed according to God’s promises.
5. The Apostolic Church Acts 12:5
- They prayed on behalf of peter
- They prayed persistently
CONCLUSION
God intends his people to gather together for meaningful, enduring and prevailing prayers. Individual believers must be committed to prayers and they must come together in unity for corporate prayer. We must pray in accordance with God’s principles and pattern stated in his words, if we must have prevailing prayers.
