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Join us in rebuilding the walls of the city through prayer. Discover the keys to effective prayer and the reasons for unanswered prayers from biblical teachings. Let us unite in prayer for our land's healing.
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Mission 24/7 Re-building the walls of the city
Objectives • 1000 Churches praying 24/7 • 12 Night & Day Prayer Watches • 250 Prayer Missionaries
Matthew 11:12 “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.”
The humble heart… “If My people, who are called by My name…” (IIChron.7:14) Definition of “pray”: Earnestly enquire of the Lord • To ask earnestly • To entreat • To express one’s desires • To commune with • To supplicate • To petition
The Humble heart… Reasons for unanswered prayer: • Refusing to hear the truth “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.” Proverbs 28:9 • Refusing to humble self “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” IIChron.7:14 • Forsaking God “And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. IIChron.15:2
The Humble Heart… Reasons for unanswered prayer: • Provoking God “But the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the LORD said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter. Deut.3:26 • Hard heartedness “Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts. Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts.” Zech.7:12,13 • Lack of charity “Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cryhimself, but shall not be heard.” Proverbs 21:13
The Humble Heart… Reasons for unanswered prayer: • Regarding iniquity in heart “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Psalm 66:18 • Wrong motives “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” James 4:3 • Dishonour of companion “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.” I Peter 3:7
The Humble Heart… Reasons for unanswered prayer: • Unbelief “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Matt.21:22 • Sin “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” Isa.59:2 “Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.” John 9:31 “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?” James 4:1-5
The Humble Heart… Reasons for unanswered prayer: • Parading prayer life “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” Matt.6:5,6. • Vain repetitions “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” Matt.6:7.
The Humble Heart… Reasons for unanswered prayer: • Unforgiveness “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matt.6:14,15. “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” Mark 11:25,26. • Hypocrisy “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14.
The Humble Heart… Reasons for unanswered prayer: • Being discouraged “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:1-8.
The Humble Heart… Reasons for unanswered prayer: • Worry and anxiety “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Phil.4:6. • Doubting/ double-mindedness “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” James 1:5-8.
The Humble Heart… What kind of prayer does God answer? • Prayer based upon relationship • Persevering prayer (Luke 18:7,8) • Prayer of righteous man (James 5:16 & IPeter 3:12) • Prayers prayed in secret (Matt.6:5-13) • Serious, expectant prayer (ISamuel 1:10,27) • Prayers from clean hands and pure heart (Psalm 24:3,4) • Prayers of faith (Matt.21:22 & James 5:14,15)
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