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So far in our series on prayer we
have talked about what prayer is and we have also talked a bit about what we
can do.
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Today, let's explore the question,
why pray?
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What is so important about prayer
anyway?
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Why should we spend time praying
when so many other things could get done?
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We Christians say we believe many
things: do we live what we say?
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In the words of one Christian
leader, "We live what we believe; everything else is just religious
talk."
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We say we believe that prayer is
important; if that is true, however, then our lives will show it.
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Why pray? Let's explore some Bible
passages that begin to answer that question.
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First, The apostles saw prayer as important work.
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Acts 6:1 - 4 says, "But as the
believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The
Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying
that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of
food. So the Twelve called a meeting of
all the believers. They said, 'We apostles should spend our time teaching the
Word of God, not running a food program. And so, brothers, select seven men who
are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them
this responsibility. Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching
the word.'" (NLT)
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The apostles asked the Jerusalem
church to choose deacons so that they could spend their time teaching and
praying, rather than waiting on tables.
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They understood that their main responsibilities
were to teach God's word and to pray.
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Do we believe as the apostles
did?
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Often we put doing all kinds
of things for God ahead of being with God in prayer.
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We are almost always busy doing
things for God and we use that to excuse our feeble prayer lives.
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But when we believe, as the apostles
believed, that prayer is important work then we will invest more of our time in
prayer.
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Not only did the apostles see prayer
as important work, but so did the Lord Jesus.
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Second, Prayer was of major importance in Jesus' life.
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About 25 times in the New Testament
we see Jesus praying before his Father.
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Before
choosing his 12 apostles, Luke tells us that Jesus prayed all night (Luke
6:12).
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Before
leaving the town of Capernaum to preach in the other towns of Galilee, Mark
tells us that Jesus got up before the break of day to go to a solitary place to
pray (Mark 1:35).
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Jesus himself testified that his
teaching and authority came directly from his Father.
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He
said,
"I don't speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded
me what to say and how to say it. And I know his commands lead to eternal life;
so I say whatever the Father tells me to say." (John 12:49-50, NLT)
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Since the plans and power of Jesus'
life came directly from his time in prayer with his Father, then how much more
must the plans and power of God flow into our lives through prayer?
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Since Jesus, God's perfect Son,
found prayer to be necessary, then prayer is also abundantly necessary for us.
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Why pray? Prayer was of major
importance in Jesus life, the apostles saw prayer as important work, and third:
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Prayer
is a major part of Christ's work today.
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Hebrews
7:25
says about the present work of Jesus, "Consequently, he is able to save to
the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to
make intercession for them." (ESV)
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Romans
8:34
also says, "Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died – more
than that, who was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is
interceding for us."
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To make intercession or to intercede
means to pray for others.
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A large part of the work of Jesus as
the risen Lord over all things is to pray always for God's people.
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The Lord Jesus is praying for all
believers, everywhere, every day.
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Hebrews chapter 10 declares that this
is one of the reasons Jesus died for us.
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"We can boldly enter heaven's
most holy place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new
and life-giving way through the curtain into the most holy place. ...let us go
right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him."
(Hebrews 10:19, 20, 22 a)
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Through the blood that Jesus shed on
the cross, he made the only way for us to pray.
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Since prayer is that important to
God, that he should send Jesus to die on the cross so we could pray, then let
us determine to learn how to "pray without ceasing" with thankful
hearts.
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Prayer is a major part of Christ's
work today.
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Fourth, Prayer is a source of joy for the believer.
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Hebrews
4:16
says, "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that
we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (ESV)
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When we are suffering, facing
trials, being tempted, experiencing doubt, discouragement, grief, we are told
to draw near to God's throne with confidence knowing that when we draw near we
will find his mercy and grace is abundantly available to us in our time of
need.
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That is how the believer can
experience joy through all of life's many trials; because when we pray, God
will meet our needs by teaching us to endure through all of life's pain.
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Experience joy through trouble.
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Fifth, Prayer draws believers closer to God.
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Psalm
16: 11 says, "You make known to me the path of
life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are
pleasures forevermore." (ESV)
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King David, who wrote Psalm 16, was
convinced that God was the only source of supply for his whole life.
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David understood that a person who
looks to God and their relationship with God to be the source of life will not
look to any other source to satisfy.
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We will only experience lasting joy as
we learn to look to God alone to supply all our needs.
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Prayer brings joy by drawing
believers closer to God. The nearer we draw to God the more our false worship
falls away and the more we look only to him.
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Prayer draws believers closer to
God. Draw near.
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Sixth, Prayer reveals the gracious love of God.
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Ephesians
3:14-19 say, "For this reason I
bow my knees before the Father... That according to the riches of his glory he
may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner
being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith – that you, being
rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the
saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the
love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the
fullness of God."
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Answered prayer shows the power and
presence of God, and he also grows our awareness of how much God loves us.
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God loves us enough to listen to
even what we may think is our most unimportant request.
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We do not deserve for him to listen
to us. God does not love us because of who we are; he loves us because of
himself.
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God wants to fill us with his love, a love
that is not about getting and using, but is about giving.
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Prayer reveals the gracious love of
God. Experience God's love.
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Seventh, Prayer brings spiritual growth.
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It does so in at least four ways:
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#1.
Prayer reveals our sin.
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In Psalm 139:23-24, King David
prayed, "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way
everlasting!" (ESV)
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David asked God to reveal his sin,
which must also be a pattern for our prayer lives.
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#2.
Prayer gives wisdom.
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James 1:5 says, "If any of you
lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach,
and it will be given him." (ESV)
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As we spend time with God in prayer
and in his word, God will give us wisdom, and if any of us lacks wisdom we
simply need to ask in faith without doubt, knowing that God hears and will
answer.
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#3.
Prayer overcomes temptation.
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On the night he was betrayed Jesus
told Simon Peter, "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.
The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Mark 14:38, ESV).
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When we are continually prayerful,
prayerfully watching over our lives with God and prayerfully evaluating our
behavior with God, then we are less apt to fall victim to temptation.
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As we make a habit of watchful
prayer, we become more aware of the temptations to which we yield.
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When we are aware, then we can flee
temptation.
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#4.
Prayer empowers daily service.
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As we already read, the apostle Paul
prayed for the Ephesian church, that they would "be strengthened with
power through his Spirit in [their] inner being."
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We need to be empowered by the
Spirit of God each day in order to live for Christ, following the way of Jesus.
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The only way to be strengthened with
the Holy Spirit's power is to be with God in prayer.
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Prayer brings spiritual growth.
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Why Pray?
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Jesus and his disciples saw prayer
as very important. Prayer brings joy when we are facing trouble, helps us draw
near to God, reveals God's love, and helps us grow spiritually.
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Draw
near; experience God's joy and love; grow spiritually, even through trouble.
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