Sermon Central
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Why Pray?
Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Dec 31, 2022 (message contributor)
Summary: Prayer is the key to unlock opportunities according to God's plans and purposes. Good prayer lies down the petition of our needs in the Throne Room of a Mighty God. (Several part lesson)
WHY PRAY?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes) Several part lesson.
WHY SHOULD WE PRAY? WE HAVE AN IMPERATIVE COMMAND: PRAY ONE FOR ANOTHER…
James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
James 5:16 (MSG) Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.
WHY PRAY? PRAYER IS THE KEY THAT UNLOCKS THE PLAN AND PURPOSE OF GOD… PRAYER IS LAYING A PETITION DOWN ON GOD’S DESK. PRAYER INVITES THE HOLY PRESENCE OF GOD IN A POSITIVE WAY.
PRAYER IS COMMUNICATION WITH GOD… PRAYER IS LIKE A CHILD’S CONVERSATION TO THEIR PARENTS DISCUSSING WHAT THEY NEED… WE NEED TO TALK TO OUR PARENTS TO SEEK HELP AND TO LEARN.
Prayer builds a friendship, a trust and a personal relationship with the Trinity. In prayer we seek more of God and we gain a better understanding of life. In a faithful daily prayer life we see beyond our selfish motives and find DIVINE DIRECTION.
EFFECTIVE PRAYER COMES IN MANY FORMS: 1. CONFESSION; 2. REPENTANCE; 3. SUPPLICATION; 4. PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING AND ADORATION; 5. INTERCESSION; 6. ASK, SEEK AND KNOCK… 7. PRAYER IS WORSHIP…
WHY PRAY? PRAYER MUST BE PRAYED FOR THE RIGHT MOTIVES… PRAYING IMPROPERLY, SELFISHNESS.
James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
James 4:3 (MSG) And why not? Because you know you'd be asking for what you have no right to. You're spoiled children, each wanting your own way.
WHY PRAY? PRAY FOR HEALING… TO BE MADE WHOLE…HEAL ME LORD AND I WILL BE HEALED,
Psalm 6:2 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed.
James 5:16 MSG Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.
3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
WHY PRAY? PRAY THAT NO FEAR OR WORRY GRIPS OUR HEARTS…
Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
WHY PRAY? PRAY THAT DARKNESS WILL BE EXPOSED AND THAT PEOPLE WILL SEE THE GREAT LIGHT…
Matthew 4:16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.
Matthew 4:16 (MSG) People sitting out their lives in the dark saw a huge light; Sitting in that dark, dark country of death, they watched the sun come up.
WHY PRAY? HOW DO WE PRAY? GOOD PRAYER IS SEALED IN THE NAME OF JESUS
John 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
WHY PRAY? GOOD REGULAR DAILY PRAYER BUILDS THE INDIVIDUAL SPIRITUAL POWER… CONFIDENCE…
1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
1 John 5:14-15 (MSG) And how bold and free we then become in his presence, freely asking according to his will, sure that he's listening. 15 And if we're confident that he's listening, we know that what we've asked for is as good as ours
WHY PRAY? WE MUST PRAY TO GROW, STRENGTHEN AND AVOID EVIL…
Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Matthew 26:41 (MSG) Stay alert; be in prayer so you don't wander into temptation without even knowing you're in danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there's another part that's as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire."
