BECOMING A MAN OF PRAYER

1. BECOMING A MAN OF PRAYER Based on “Becoming A Man of Prayer: A Seven-Week Strategy Based on the Instructions of Jesus” – By Bob Beltz MBC First Light Summer Session

2. INTRODUCTION /OVERVIEW Bob Sibert – May 29, 2019

3. Prayer is Essential to the Christian Life Summer First Light Men Study the Lord’s Prayer Wanting to Improve Their Prayer Life Becoming A Man of Prayer by Bob Beltz (Guide) 9 Weeks 0630 – 0730 5/29 to 7/31 Room 2400

4. A Working Model & Seven-Week Strategy

6. Why This Topic?

7. Why This Topic? • We all have a capacity for growth in our prayer life. • We all need a strategic, purposeful prayer life. • “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” – Martin Luther King • “Prayer – secret, fervent, believing prayer- lies at the root of all personal godliness.” – William Carey • “Only a life with prayer and meditation will render a vessel ready for the Master’s use.” – George Muller

8. Why This Topic? • “Most men struggle to have a consistent discipline of prayer in which they not only believe God is engaged in the process with them, but in which they experience His presence and have the sense in a very real way they are making contact with the Divine.” (Becoming a Man of Prayer - Page 15) • Difficulties in having an effective prayer life • Not knowing how to pray • Don’t feel fit to pray • Mind wanders during prayer and don’t finish prayer • Not being able to think of, or running out of, things to pray for.

9. What Is Prayer?

10. What Is Prayer? • “Prayer is simply a two-way conversation between you and God – Billy Graham • “Prayer is a relational conversation with God to get God to touch humanity – asking God to release his will from heaven to earth.” – Tony Evans • Prayer is the means by which the creature and creator maintain personal contact. – Mission Hill Church • "Prayer is not so much an act as it is an attitude - an attitude of dependency - dependency upon God." - A.W. Pink • The purpose of prayer is not to receive what you asked for, but to strengthen your relationship with God. • “Prayer is the worlds’ greatest wireless connection to heaven” - Unknown

11. PrayerAcrostics • A.C.T.S. • Adoration – “Praise be to God!” (Psalms 68:35) • Confession – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) • Thanksgiving – Always “glorify him with thanksgiving” (Psalms 69:30) • Supplication – “Make your requests known to God.” (Philippians 4:6) • P.R.A.Y. • Praise – “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done.” (Matt. 6:9-10) • Repent – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) • Ask – “Make your requests known to God.” (Philippians 4:6); “You do not have, because you do not ask” (James 4:2) • Yield – “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” (Matt. 26:39)

12. What Are Some Metaphors For Prayer?

13. Metaphors For Prayer • Breathing • “Prayer is as natural an expression of faith as breathing is to life.” – Jonathan Edwards • Key & Lock • “Prayer should be the key of the day and the lock of the night.” – George Herbert • “Prayer is the key to open the door of blessing.” • “Prayer is the key to heaven, but faith unlocks the door.” • Steering Wheel • Prayer is not a “spare wheel” that you pull out when in trouble. Rather, it is a “steering wheel” that directs the right path throughout.” • Medicine • “Not to pray because you do not feel fit to pray is like saying, ‘ I will not take medicine because I am too sick.’” – Charles Spurgeon • Tracks • “Our prayers lay the track down on which God’s power can come. Like a mighty locomotive, His power is irresistible, but it cannot reach us without tracks.” - Watchman Nee

14. What Are Obstacles That Hinder Or Block Our Prayers?

15. Obstacles To Prayer • An inconsistent prayer life is a function of a lack of desire, time, and/or discipline. • Satan seeks to block our prayers through: • Lack of Faith • And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. – Heb. 11:6 • Wrong Motives • You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. - James 4:3 • And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. - 1 John 5:14

16. Obstacles To Prayer • Satan seeks to block our prayers through • Unconfessed / Unrepentant Sin • Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.- Isaiah 59:1-2 • For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. - 1 Pet. 3:12 • Unforgiveness • For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses – Matt. 6:14-15 • Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. – 1 Pet. 3:7

17. The Lord’s Prayer • The Lord’s Prayer is model prayer provided by Jesus to show us how to pray • The Lord’s prayer provides us a framework for our prayers • Examples of prayers are found throughout the Bible and in the Psalms

18. Sermon on the Mount by Carl Bloch (1877) The Lord's Prayer (Le Pater Noster) James Tissot – The Brooklyn Museum

19. The Lord’s Prayer - Matthew • Matt. 6:5-14 (9-13) ESV (Part of Sermon on the Mount in Galilee) • And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread,and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

20. The Lord’s Prayer - Luke • Luke 11:1-4 (2-4) (Responding to request from a disciple probably in Judea about a year later) • Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples. And he said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”

21. The Lord’s Prayer - Matthew • Matt. 6:5-14 (9-13) ESV (Part of Sermon on the Mount in Galilee) • And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread,and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

22. The Lord’s Prayer - Structure • Seven Petitions in the Prayer

23. The Lord’s Prayer - Structure • Introduction and Seven Petitions, followed by an added Doxology • Introduction • Our Father who art in heaven • First 3 Petitions Address God (Thy) • "Hallowed be thy Name;" – Matt. 6:9, Luke 11:2 • "Thy kingdom come;“– Matt. 6:9, Luke 11:2 • "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven:" – Matt. 6:10 • The last 4 Petitions Address Human Needs and Concerns (Us, Our & We) • "Give us this day our daily bread;" – Matt. 6:11, Luke 11:3 • "And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us;" – Matt. 6:12, Luke 11:4 • "And lead us not into temptation," – Matt. 6:13, Luke 11:4 • "But deliver us from evil:" – Matt. 6:13 • Doxology • For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen

24. How Should The Lord’s Prayer Be Used? • Model and/or Rote Liturgical Recitation?

25. The Lord’s Prayer - Use • Model and/or Rote Liturgical Recitation? • And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. - Matt. 6:7 • ”Teach us to pray”, not “Teach us a prayer” • Disciples had seen Jesus pray in a variety of circumstances • But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. - Luke 5:16 • Public vs. Private Prayer Use

26. What Are Three Types Of Answers To Our Prayers?

27. Three Types Of Answers To Our Prayers? • Yes • If God answers your prayers, he is increasing your faith and demonstrating that you are praying in His will. • No • If God doesn’t answer your prayers, He has something better for you. • Sometimes we can look back and see that the best answers to our prayers were the ones God didn’t answer. • Wait • If He delays, he is increasing your patience and letting you trust Himfor the solution, in his perfect way and timing

28. Praying With An Open Bible • Start with God’s word about the situation • Claim God’s promises • In struggles – Psalm 42 • In repentance – Psalm 51 • In fear – Psalm34 • Prayer and bible study work together to immerse us in our Lord’s • Attitudes • Values • Desires • Methods • Goals

29. Practical Tools For a Consistent Prayer Life • Establish a Prayer Schedule - When to Pray & Where to Pray • Develop a Prayer List - What to Pray

30. What and Who Does Prayer Change?

31. Impact of Prayer • Prayer gives us access to what God wants to do (Prayer does not get God to do something He doesn’t want to do) • “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance. It is laying hold of His willingness.” – Martin Luther • “Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays.” – Soren Kierkegaard • “I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now I know that prayer changes us, and we change things.” – Mother Teresa

32. God’s Unconditional Will And Conditional Will • God’s will is what He determines will happen. • Prayer pulls down from Heaven God’s predetermined will • His unconditional will is not conditional on our actions or non-actions. There is no human involvement • His conditional will requires our involvement and cooperation with His desire and design – James 4:2-3 (Have not because do not ask or ask wrongly)

33. What Is Praying In The Spirit? • “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” - Rom. 8:26-27 • “What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.” - 1 Cor. 14:15 • “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints. - Eph. 6:18 • “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit.” - Jude 1:20

34. Thought-Provoking Prayer Quotes • “We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties.” – Oswald Chambers • “By praying for our enemies, we guard our heart so that we do not become like them.” – Mark Driscoll • “When we worry, we aren’t praying. When we pray, we aren’t worrying.” – Max Lucado • “Prayer will consume sin, or sin will choke prayer.” – J. C. Ryle • Thanking God after he answers a prayer is gratitude. Thanking Him in advance is faith. • “Why wish upon a star when you can pray to the one who created it.”