INTRODUCTION,
Matthew 6:
1.
The Purpose of Praying, Vs 5,7
Mat 6:5 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.
Mat 6:6 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.
2.
The Pattern of Praying, Vs 6, 9-13
Mat 6:6 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.
Mat 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
3.
The Problem of Praying, Vs 14-15
Mat 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Mat 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
4.
The Promises of Praying, Vs 6,
Mat 6:6 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.
II
Chronicles 7:14 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.
Jeremiah
33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
Matthew
7:7-8, 18:19, & 21:22
Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Mat 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Mat 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
5.
The Power of Praying,
Acts
4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
Acts12:1-19
Acts
15:25-34
Prayer
is a:
1. Sin killer
5. Obstacle remover
2. Life changer
6. Christ revealer
3. Victory giver
7. Revival Bringer
4. Dispute settler
8. Church builder
1.
Prayer links us with God
2.
Prayer breaks down difficulties
3.
Prayer opens closed doors
4.
Prayer calls forth laborers
5.
Prayer releases the power of God
6.
Prayer energizes the spreading of the gospel
7.
Prayer brings grace and victories in times of crises
Tonight
I want to look at James 4:2-3 and preach on:
ASKING
AND RECEIVING and deal with Un-offered
prayers, and Un-answered prayers.
James 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
I.
UN-OFFERED PRAYERS, Yet ye have not because ye ask not.
How
much do you pray?
Do
you have a regular prayer life?
Is
it daily? twice a day, three times a day?
How
much do you pray?
When
I fail to pray about anything I am
saying. God, I can handle this bv myself"
II.
UNANSWERED PRAYERS, Ye ask and receive not because.."
1.
Something wrong in our heart,
Psalms
66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
I
John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
2.
Something wrong between us and a brother,
Matthew
5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
Mat 5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Matthew
6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Mat 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
James
4:16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
3.
Something wrong with our relationship with Christ,
John
15:7 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
4.
Something wrong between us and our spouse,
I
Peter 3:7 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.
5.
Something wrong with our life,
I
John 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
6.
Something wrong with our faith,
Matthew
13:58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
7.
Something wrong with our salvation,
John
9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he
heareth.
