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Effective Prayer. Pray without Ceasing (1 T hs. 5:17). Be serious and watchful, 1 Pet. 4:7 Prayers of righteous people are powerful , Jas. 5:16 Prayer loses its place in our lives when we lose faith in our God, Luke 18:1-8.
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Pray without Ceasing (1 Ths. 5:17) • Be serious and watchful, 1 Pet. 4:7 • Prayers of righteous people are powerful, Jas. 5:16 • Prayer loses its place in our lives when we lose faith in our God, Luke 18:1-8
Prayer is Based on a Relationship with God • Prayer is ineffective and futile without a relationship with God • Our Father: Family relation, Matt. 6:9; Gal. 3:26 • Prayers are petitions that grow out of this relationship, Matt. 7:7-11 (Gal. 4:6-7) • In fellowship with God: Our Father hears and answers us, Jno. 9:31; 1 Pet. 3:12 • Prayer is a spiritual blessing the Christian has in Christ, Eph. 1:3 (Gal. 3:27); Heb. 4:16; Phil. 4:6-7
Some Important Aspects of Prayer • Prayer is an appeal, Eph. 3:20 • Nehemiah, Neh. 1:11-2:4, 8 • It moves God to action, Jas. 5:16-18 • “The possibilities of prayer are gauged by faith in God’s ability to do.” • “The power of prayer is that it activates the power of God.” • “Prayer is not getting God to do my will; it is asking that God’s willbe done in my life, my family, my business, and in my relationships, as it is done in heaven.” Matt. 6:10
Some Important Aspects of Prayer • Prayer is a request, Phil. 4:6 • For forgiveness, Matt. 6:12 (Acts 8:22) • For God’s blessings (for ourselves and for others), Eph. 6:18-20 • Material, Matt. 6:11, 31-32 • Spiritual, Phil. 4:7 • Ex. Wisdom, Jas. 1:5-8
Some Important Aspects of Prayer • Prayer is an expression of: • Joyful thanks, 1 Ths. 5:16-18 • Respect, 1 Chrn. 29:10-13 • Dependency upon God, 1 Tim. 5:5; Psa. 17:6; 61:1-4 (86:1-7)
How to Effectively Pray(Luke 11:1) • Pray in faith, Mk. 11:22-24; Jas. 1:5-6 • “Only God can move mountains, but faith and prayer move God!” • Christians expect prayer to prevail! 1 Jno. 3:22; 5:15
How to Effectively Pray(Luke 11:1) • Live in harmony with what you pray, Mk. 11:25-26 • Our life must reflect our prayers • Examples: • Prayer of adoration (show reverence in our living) • Ask for blessings (be thankful for present ones) • Seek God’s forgiveness (be forgiving of others) • Ask for strength to endure a trial (live by faith)
How to Effectively Pray(Luke 11:1) • Be obedient, 1 Jno. 3:22 • Rebellion forfeits answers, 1 Pet. 3:12 • Ask according to God’s will, 1 Jno. 5:14-15 • Our prayers must honor God’s will instead of ignoring it, Matt. 26:39 • Don’t stop praying, 1 Ths. 5:17; Lk. 18:1; 11:5-8
We rejoice in the great blessing of prayer! • We must be a praying people, for our God is a prayer-answering God!