DISCIPLESHIP JOURNEY: WHAY PRAY?

DISCIPLESHIP JOURNEY: WHY PRAY?

Monday, March 10, 2014

The following is written from notes taken and thoughts provoked during Pastor Paul Marine’s Sunday sermon. (All Scripture from MKJV.) EBB4 

  Discipleship is agreeably allowing your life to be totally under the control of Lord Jesus Christ.

Praying is a part of this.

·         Prayer builds our relationship with Jesus: “For this cause I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in Heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Eph.3:14-19)

·         Prayer helps us overcome temptation: “… according to His custom, He went to the Mount of Olives. And His disciples also followed Him. And when He was at the place, He said to them, Pray that you do not enter into temptation. And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw. And He kneeled down and prayed, saying, Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done. And an angel appeared to Him from Heaven, strengthening Him. And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly. And His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when He rose up from prayer and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping because of sorrow. And He said to them, Why do you sleep? Rise and pray lest you enter into temptation.” (Lk.22:39-46)

·         Prayer helps us determine God’s will: “… it happened in those days that He went out into a mountain to pray, and He was spending the night in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called His disciples. And He chose twelve of them, whom He also named apostles: Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alpheus, and Simon who was called Zelotes; Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, who also became the betrayer.” (Lk.6:12-16)

·         Prayer accomplishes God’s work in the world: “Truly, truly, I say to you, He who believes on Me, the works that I do he shall do also, and greater works than these he shall do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you may ask in My name, that I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (Jn.12:12-14)

·         Prayer is a weapon of spiritual warfare: “Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world's rulers, of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Therefore take to yourselves the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Therefore stand, having your loins girded about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, take the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching to this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. And pray for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds; so that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.’ (Eph.6:10-20)

·         Prayer is a prerequisite (precondition, requirement, qualification) to spiritual awakening: “If I shut up the heavens, and there is no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send a plague among My people; if My people, who are called by My name, shall 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 will heal their land.” (2Chron.7:13-14)

·         Prayer is valuable to God: “Therefore He [Jesus] is able also to save to the uttermost those who come unto God by Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them. . . . And when He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having harps and golden vials full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” (Heb.7:25; Rev.5:8) Consider that Jesus earthly ministry was very brief compared to His praying for us ever since.

  Challenge for this week: For every minute you pray, be equally silent and listen.