The Three Essentials of Prayer Church of Christ at Medina April 26 th, 2015

Reverence Prayer is a conversation with God. – But, it is a conversation with God. – Esther 4:11 Hebrews 4:14-16 – Jesus died to give us access to the throne of God. Remember how Jesus taught His disciples how to pray (Matthew 6:9-13, Luke 11:1-4). Examples: Hezekiah (2 Kings 19:15) and Daniel (Daniel 9:4)

Reverence What will help us to show the proper reverence for God? Giving thanks to Him – Thankful for His creation – Thankful for His word – Thankful for His care Being thankful keeps our focus on God! Psalm 95:6-7 – “O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.”

Scriptural “I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places…”(Ephesians 1:16-20a, ESV)

Scriptural “For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (Phil. 1:8- 11, ESV) “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy…” (Colossians 1:9- 11 ESV)

Scriptural If we think about our typical prayers, how often do we pray for spiritual needs versus physical needs? Types of Prayers – Supplications Specific petitions made for specific needs Examples: Samuel (1 Samuel 15:11), Christ (Hebrews 5:7), David (Psalm 51), etc. – Prayers “…probably refers to requests for fulfillment of needs that are always present.” – Intercessions Going into the presence of another, often on behalf of someone else. Examples: Peter (Acts 8), Christians (Acts 5), Elders (James 5)

Sincere “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:5-9, NRSV)

Sincere Sincerity does not mean that you cannot prepare! Preparation will help us form and collect the thoughts that we truly want to express to God, and it may also help us to avoid vain repetitions. “Praying well is not so much a matter of vocabulary as it is heart and substance. Genuine prayer involves laying our heart before a Friend who can be trusted, a Father who is to be loved, and a Lord who must be revered. Whose prayer was more eloquently worded in Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 8:9-14)? And yet, whose prayer was more effective?...Effectual prayer is not determined by the eloquence of words we employ or the duration of the prayer, but the heart from which it flows.”

Three Essentials of Prayer Reverent Scriptural Sincere