A Definition for Prayer:
Prayer is talking to God
Colossians 4:2-6, Devote
yourselves to prayer with an alert
mind and a thankful heart. 3Don’t forget to pray for us, too, that God may open a
door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which
I am in prison. 4Pray that I will proclaim this message as
clearly as I should.
Ephesians 6:18 (NLT), Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the
Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be
persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere.
Ephesians
6:18 (MSG), …prayer is
essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray
hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters.
Luke 18:1 (NLT), One day Jesus told his disciples a story to
illustrate their need for constant
prayer and to show them that they
must never give up.
Colossians 1:9 (NIV), …since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you…
1.
WHY SHOULD WE PERSIST IN PRAYER?
Answer: Because prayer changes
what is possible…
“Human history belongs to the intercessors. It belongs to those who believe and pray the
future into being.” — Walter Wink
“Imagine the scene. We come into God's
storehouse where every wondrous blessing of joy unknown and peace without
limits is stored. The Lord has called the angels to attention, and they
have prepared a huge chariot to transport the blessings his children will
request. Twenty thousand of heaven's finest, fresh from the Heavenly
Fitness Center, stand ready to do the heavy lifting and load our cargo.
And for what will we ask? We look around longingly at all these treasures
and then quietly beg God for a small pack of dry crackers and a glass of
water! The Father is appalled. The angels are dumbfounded.
They give us the tiny things we request, and after we trudge out they ask the
King, "What's wrong? Why do they pray such puny prayers?”
“With a sad smile, he replies, ‘They have a hard
time asking as big as I can give.’”
“What a tragedy to realize that God has bigger things
planned for us but we miss out on them because we simply won’t ask for them.” —
Jeff Walling, Until I Return, page 146
Romans 8:34 (NLT / NIV), …[Jesus Christ] is the one who died for us and was
raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God,
interceding for us.
2.
HOW DO WE PERSIST IN PRAYER?
Three Resolutions
For People Who Want To Persist In Prayer
1.) Be Consistent!
Colossians 4:2, Devote yourselves to prayer…
“Praying hard is two-dimensional.
It’s praying like it depends on God, and working like it depends on you. It’s
praying until God answers, no matter how long it takes.” — Mark Batterson, The Circle Maker
Some Practical Suggestions:
a. Select a time.
b. Choose a place.
c. Start out small.
d. Eliminate distractions.
e. Follow through.
f. Don't waste time on guilt.
2.) Be Bold!
Genesis 18:23-26 (NLT), Abraham approached [God] and said, “Will you
destroy both innocent and guilty alike? 24Suppose you find fifty innocent people there within the
city—will you still destroy it, and not spare it for their sakes? 25Surely
you wouldn’t do such a thing, destroying the innocent with the guilty. Why, you
would be treating the innocent and the guilty exactly the same! Surely you
wouldn’t do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”
26And the LORD
replied, “If I find fifty innocent people in Sodom, I will spare the entire
city for their sake.”
Genesis
18:27-29 (NLT), Then Abraham
spoke again. “Since I have begun, let me go on and speak further to my Lord,
even though I am but dust and ashes. 28Suppose there are only forty-five? Will you destroy the city
for lack of five?”
And
the LORD said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five.”
29Then Abraham
pressed his request further. “Suppose there are only forty?”
And
the LORD replied, “I will not destroy it if there are forty.”
Genesis
18:30-33 (NLT), “Please don’t
be angry, my Lord,” Abraham pleaded. “Let me speak—suppose only thirty are found?”
And
the LORD replied, “I will not destroy it if there are thirty.”
31Then Abraham
said, “Since I have dared to speak to the Lord, let me continue—suppose there
are only twenty?”
And
the LORD said, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”
32Finally,
Abraham said, “Lord, please do not get angry; I will speak but once more!
Suppose only ten are found there?”
And
the LORD said, “Then, for the sake of the ten, I will not destroy it.”
Ephesians 3:12 (NLT), Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come fearlessly into God’s
presence, assured of his glad welcome.
Hebrews 4:16
(NLT), …let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will
find grace to help us when we need it.
Mark 9:24
(MSG), No sooner were the words out of
his mouth than the father cried, “Then I
believe. Help me with my doubts!”
3.) Pray For Open Doors.
Colossians 4:3, …pray
for us, too, that God may open a door
for our message…
Colossians 4:5, Be wise in the way you act toward
outsiders; make the most of every
opportunity.
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