STUDY IT FOR YOURSELF! Have the attitude of the Bereans… … take what you are taught and search the Scriptures each day to see if what was taught is what the Word of God says [Acts 17:11]! Have the attitude of the Bereans…

Part 8: WHAT Prayer ACHIEVES PRAYER with FASTING Part 8: WHAT Prayer ACHIEVES

Matthew 7:7-11 ASK – IT WILL be GIVEN! SEEK - you WILL FIND! Verses 7-8 ASK – IT WILL be GIVEN! SEEK - you WILL FIND! KNOCK and IT WILL be OPENED to you! Verses 9-11a A lesson on human giving!

How MUCH MORE WILL your Father Who is in heaven Matthew 7:7-11 Verse 11b How MUCH MORE WILL your Father Who is in heaven GIVE WHAT IS GOOD TO THOSE WHO ASK HIM!

Matthew 7:7-11 So WHAT IS GIVEN? So WHAT IS FOUND? So WHAT IS OPENED? So WHAT IS GOOD?

FIRST of ALL! PRAYER IS NOT an EASY” Button!

PRAYER IS a “CONVERSATION” with God!

Genesis 18:33 And as soon as He had FINISHED SPEAKING to (communing with) Abraham the LORD departed; and Abraham returned to his place.

James 2:22-23 – Abraham, the “Friend of God” [22] You see that FAITH was WORKING with his WORKS, and AS a RESULT of the WORKS, FAITH was PERFECTED (COMPLETED);

James 2:22-23 – Abraham, the “Friend of God” [23] and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the FRIEND of GOD.

John 15:14-15 – Being a “FRIEND” of Jesus [14] “You ARE MY FRIENDS, IF YOU DO WHAT I COMMAND you. [15] No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing;…”

John 15:14-15 – Being a “FRIEND” of Jesus [15] “… but I HAVE CALLED you FRIENDS, FOR ALL THINGS that I have heard from My Father I HAVE MADE KNOWN to you.”

A Truth Concerning Prayer!

The prayer DOES NOT CHANGE GOD – The prayer CHANGES the ONE PRAYING!

Busting the ‘MYTHS’ of Prayer

Consider the prayer theology of Linus Van Pelt: © United Features Syndicate

© United Features Syndicate

© United Features Syndicate

© United Features Syndicate

RATHER, PRAYER ALIGNS our THINKING TO GOD’S THINKING, so that… ‘MYTH’ #1 & the TRUTH! PRAYER DOES NOT CHANGE God’s MIND to AGREE with our MIND. RATHER, PRAYER ALIGNS our THINKING TO GOD’S THINKING, so that…

‘MYTH’ #1 & the TRUTH! OUR PLANS GLORIFY God! OUR DECISIONS ACCOMPLISH the HIGHEST and BEST GOOD for all concerned!

‘MYTH’ #2 & the TRUTH! PRAYER DOES NOT CONNECT us to an unlimited ATM of blessings! God is SOVEREIGN! God is AUTONOMOUS! God has a WILL, and MAKES CHOICES!

‘MYTH’ #2 & the TRUTH! God’s CHARACTERISTICS DEMAND that He WORKS all things together for GOOD! ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE! For those who LOVE HIM! And who FOLLOW HIS PURPOSE [Romans 8:28]

‘MYTH’ #3 & the TRUTH! There is NO magic formula that REQUIRES God to ANSWER your PRAYERS the WAY you WANT them to be ANSWERED!

Prayer ‘CHANGES’ US!

PRAYING Changes US by… BRINGING ANSWERS to OUR prayers! BRINGING US into INTIMATE FELLOWSHIP with the LORD God! PREPARING OUR HEARTS to FOLLOW GOD’S PURPOSE!

PRAYING Changes US by… OPENING the way for God to EFFECTIVELY WORK in OUR LIVES! FULFILLING God’s DESIRED PURPOSE!

Prayer Is Not Always EASY!

Sometimes it can be DIFFICULT to PRAY THROUGH SITUATIONS Sometimes it can be DIFFICULT to PRAY THROUGH SITUATIONS! This is the case in the book of Nehemiah.

Nehemiah 1:1-3 FEELING ASHAMED! As Nehemiah begins, The remnant in Judah were: In GREAT TROUBLE! FEELING ASHAMED! The WALL of Jerusalem was BROKEN DOWN! The GATES were still DESTROYED by fire!

Nehemiah 1:4 – Notice Nehemiah’s Response For MANY DAYS he – WEPT – MOURNED – PRAYED – with FASTING

How LONG did Nehemiah need to WAIT for his prayer to be ANSWERED? Nehemiah 1:1 … Now it happened in the month CHISLEV, in the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the capitol, Nehemiah 2:1 And it came about in the month NISAN, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes….

Ancient Jewish Calendar 2. Nisan (or Abib) Nehemiah’s Prayer Answered 3 4 MONTHS 2 1 1. Chislev Nehemiah Prays

PRAYER IS NOT – and – PRAYER IS

PRAYER is NOT a DOCTRINE to be STUDIED. PRAYER is NOT a RITUAL to be performed. PRAYER IS a CONNECTION with God. PRAYER IS a CONVERSATION with God.

FROM WHICH BELIEVERS can DRAW STRENGTH for daily living. PRAYER is a FELLOWSHIP with God. FROM WHICH BELIEVERS can DRAW STRENGTH for daily living. PRAYER is the FIRST major step BELIEVERS should take when faced with a NEED.

IS the KNEELING POSITION!!! The best position for a BELIEVER to be in – IS the KNEELING POSITION!!!

HEAR the PROMISE of Jesus… John 14:27 PEACE I LEAVE with you; MY PEACE I GIVE to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. LET NOT your HEART be TROUBLED, NOR LET it be FEARFUL.”

HEAR the PROMISE of Prayer… Hebrews 4:16 LET US therefore DRAW NEAR with CONFIDENCE to the THRONE OF GRACE, that we MAY RECEIVE MERCY and MAY FIND GRACE to HELP in time of need.

Here is YOUR Invitation to Have a CONVERSATION with God!