The Principles of Prayer

INTRODUCTION

1. One of the greatest blessings enjoyed by Christians in this life is the privilege of PRAYER,
     by which we can approach God

   a. Through prayer, the Christian can find FORGIVENESS for sins  - 1Jn 1:9

   b. Through prayer, the Christian can find PEACE to replace anxiety  - Php 4:6-7

   c. Through prayer, the Christian can receive STRENGTH from God through His Spirit - Ep 
       3:14-16

2. For such reasons, Paul frequently exhorted Christians to be diligent in their prayers...

   a. "praying always with all prayer and supplication..." - Ep 6:18

   b. "Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanks- giving" - Col 4:2

   c. "Pray without ceasing" - 1Th 5:17

3. Yet Jesus knew that people would tend to become slack in their prayers - Lk 18:1

   a. It is out of a similar concern that prompts two lessons devoted specifically to "PRAYER"

   b. It is hoped that you will be encouraged to be more diligent in prayer as we examine:

      1) Basic PRINCIPLES of prayer taught in God's Word

      2) Suggestions concerning the PRACTICE of prayer in our daily lives

I. CHARACTERISTICS OF ACCEPTABLE PRAYER

   A. IT MUST BE OFFERED "IN FAITH"...

      1. "And all things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." - Mt 21:22

      2. We must have faith in God, and in His ability to answer  - He 11:6

      3. Otherwise, prayer will not be answered - cf. Jm 1:5-8

      4. Is our faith weak?  Then increase it with the help of God's Word - Ro 10:17

   B. IT MUST BE OFFERED "IN THE SPIRIT OF HUMILITY"...

      1. Notice the example of the Pharisee and the publican - Lk 18:9-14

      2. Remember, "The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as  
          have a contrite spirit" - Ps 34:18

      3. As quoted by James:  "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" - Jm 4:6

   C. IT MUST BE OFFERED "IN HARMONY WITH GOD'S WILL"...

      1. God answers prayer that is offered "according to His will"  - 1Jn 5:14

      2. Jesus provided the example for us in His prayers at Gethsemane - Lk 22:42

      3. Too often, prayers are unanswered because they are more concerned with OUR will, 
           rather than GOD'S will! - cf. Jm 4:3

   D. IT MUST BE OFFERED "BY THOSE RIGHTEOUS BEFORE GOD"...

      1. "For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; 
           but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil" - 1Pe 3:12

      2. The prayers of the righteous person are effective  - Jm 5:16-18

      3. But those continuing in sin He will not hear! - Pr 28:9; Is 59:1-2

      4. To be righteous before God...

         a. Requires that we submit to the "righteousness of God"

            offered in Christ - cf. Ro 10:1-4

         b. I.e., respond to the gospel of Christ - Ro 1:16-17

   E. IT MUST BE OFFERED "IN THE SPIRIT OF THANKSGIVING"...

      1. "giving thanks always for all things to God" - Ep 5:20

      2. "in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving"  - Php 4:6

      3. "...prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving" - Col 4:2

      4. "pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks" - 1Th 5:17-18

         Do we think God will help us with our PRESENT BURDENS if we don't take the time to 
         thank Him for PAST BLESSINGS?

   F. IT MUST BE OFFERED "WITH PERSISTENCE"...

      1. Jesus illustrated this aspect of prayer through two parables

         a. The parable of the persistent friend - Lk 11:5-10

         b. The parable of the persistent widow - Lk 18:1-8

      2. The virtue of persistence is demonstrated in the prayers of:

         a. Jesus at Gethsemane - Mt 26:44

         b. Paul, pertaining to his "thorn in the flesh" - 2Co 12:7-8

         c. The early church - Ac 2:42

   G. IT MUST BE OFFERED "IN THE NAME OF JESUS"...

      1. "Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus 
            Christ" - Ep 5:20

      2. This means much more than simply adding a little phrase "in Jesus' name" at the end of 
           our prayers!

         a. We must realize that Jesus is the only way by which we can approach God - Jn 14:6

         b. We must view Him as our "high priest" who intercedes for us - He 7:24-25; Jn 14:13

      3. Appealing to God in the name of His Son can give us great confidence that God will give
           us what we need! - He 4:14-16

II. OBSTACLES TO PRAYER

   A. UNCONFESSED SIN...

      1. "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear" - Ps 66:18

      2. The BASIS for prayer rests upon our being in fellowship with Him; such fellowship is 
           broken if we do not confess our sins to Him!

   B. IMPROPER TREATMENT OF OTHERS...

      1. How we treat others has a bearing upon whether God will hear our prayers!

         a. E.g., how we treat the poor - Ps 41:1-3

         b. E.g., how one treats his friend - Mt 5:23-24

         c. E.g., how a husband treats his wife - 1Pe 3:7

      2. We must correct our relationships with others (if possible)

         before we can expect God to hear our prayers!

      3. Especially if we desire to receive forgiveness for our sins! - Mt 6:14-15; 18:21-23

III. ANSWERS TO PRAYERS

   A. "REQUEST GRANTED"...

      1. God may answer "YES" , and grant the petitions we ask of Him

      2. Such will be the case the more we try to do His Will in our lives - 1Jn 3:22

   B. "REQUEST GRANTED, BUT NOT YET"...

      1. God may grant our request, but in time and according to His purpose for our lives

      2. "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven" - Ec 3:1

      3. So we may think God is saying "NO", when He is really saying "YES, BUT WAIT"

   C. "REQUEST GRANTED, BUT NOT AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT"...

      1. Sometimes God says "YES", but answers it in way differently than we anticipated.

      2. Remember, God's thoughts and methods are often much different than ours - Is 55:8,9

      3. Like asking God for strength and perseverance...

         a. He may give us trials to bear

         b. Which in turn develops the virtues we prayed for!

      4. We should be careful and not dictate to God HOW to answer our prayers...

         a. Limit the "HOW" and we might be limiting the "RESULT"

         b. For example, the way some pray for the sick, they limit God as to how He might restore 
              them

   D. "REQUEST DENIED"...

      1. Often God says "NO"

      2. But we must trust that God, who knows all and what is best,

         would do so only if granting our request might not be for our good - cf. He 12:5-11

      3. We may not fully understand, but we can still fully trust Him! - cf. Hab 3:17-19

      4. Especially in light of the promise in 1Co 10:13

CONCLUSION

1. The ability to pray to God and receive answers in our lives is truly one of the greatest 
     blessings we can have as children of God!

2. Hopefully, understanding and applying the principles discussed in this lesson will assure 
    greater success in having our prayers answered

Ask these questions to yourself, and make a new decision with prayer. May God help you and bless you!

1. Do you find it easy or difficult to pray?

2. Do you believe in the power of God to answer prayer?

3. Should you be disappointed when it appears that God has answered

   your prayer with a "NO"?

4. Are you spending time every day devoted to prayer?

The Importance Of A Positive Attitude

INTRODUCTION

1. A good start toward spiritual growth is achieved when we...

   a. Accept the challenge to obey God's command to grow - 2Pe 3:18

   b. Believe we are capable of growing with God's help - Php 4:13

   c. Set both behavioral and functional goals as described in the

      Scriptures

      1) Striving to develop Christ-like behavior - 2Pe 1:5-8

      2) Seeking to determine and develop our function in the body of

         Christ - Ro 12:3-5

   d. Create good habits that slowly but surely help us reach those

      goals

      1) Habits that change our behavior (Bible reading, prayer, etc.)

         - 1Pe 2:2; Php 4:6-7

      2) Habits that utilize our functions in the body of Christ

         (assembling, participating) - He 10:24-25; Ro 12:6-8

2. For spiritual growth to continue, however, requires maintaining a

   positive attitude...

   a. Believing that all our efforts will be worthwhile - e.g., 1Co

      15:58

   b. Encouraging us to persevere through difficult times - e.g., 2 Co

      4:8-9

[Paul certainly had a positive attitude.  But why is a positive attitude

so important to spiritual growth...?]

I. IMPORTANCE OF A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

   A. THE DANGER OF A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE...

      1. Illustrated in the example of the twelve spies of Israel

         a. Ten did not believe they could take the land of Canaan - Num

            13:31

         b. Their negative attitude discouraged the rest of Israel - Num

            13:32-14:4; cf. 32:7-9

         c. It led to Israel complaining and rebelling against God - cf.

            Deut 1:26-28

         d. It prompted them not to believe in God - cf. Deut 1:29-33

         e. It resulted in many dying in the wilderness - Num 14:26-38

      2. When negative attitudes are allowed to develop...

         a. We stop believing in God and in ourselves

         b. We stop trying to do what God wants us to do

         c. We discourage those around us

         d. We fail to reach the goals God has placed before us

   B. THE VALUE OF A POSITIVE ATTITUDE...

      1. Illustrated in the example of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem

         a. The people had a mind to work - Neh 4:6

         b. It helped them overcome ridicule by their enemies - cf. Neh

            4:1-3

         c. It led to the rebuilding of the walls - cf. Neh 6:15

      2. When positive attitudes are maintained...

         a. We continue to believe in God and our ability to serve Him

         b. We keep trying to do what God wants us to do

         c. We encourage those around us, and overcome those who would

            discourage us

         d. We ultimately reach the goals that God has placed before us

[Spiritual growth, like any other successful venture, requires a

positive attitude!  With it, God will help us reach our goals for

spiritual growth.  Without it, we fall short of becoming what God would

have us to be.  Therefore let's consider a few thoughts about...]

II. MAINTAINING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

   A. CHOOSE TO BE POSITIVE...

      1. We can control our attitudes, our moods

         a. We may not be able to control or change our circumstances

         b. But we can control how we react to them

      2. For example, we can choose to rejoice when times are hard

         a. As James commanded - Jm 1:2

         b. As we understand the value of difficult times - Jm 1:3-4; Ro

            5:3-4

         c. When we know that hope and prayer can help us to rejoice

            - Ro 12:12

      -- With a proper understanding, we can maintain a positive

         attitude despite our external circumstances - cf. 2Co 4:

         16-5:1; Php 2:17-18

   B. BLOCK OUT NEGATIVITY...

      1. By avoiding negative self-talk

         a. Such as "I can't do it..."

         b. Such as "It's too hard..."

      2. By constantly reminding yourself of such things as:

         a. You can do what God wants you to do (i.e., grow) - Php 4:13;

            2:12-13

         b. The more effort you make, the more results you will see - Ga

            6:7-9; 1Ti 4:15

         c. Your labor will not be in vain - 1Co 15:58

      3. By avoiding negative people

         a. Choose your friends carefully - cf. 1Co 15:33

         b. Stay away from "toxic" people (whose negativity poisons

            other people's attitudes)

         c. Otherwise you will join what Rick Pitino calls "The

            Fellowship Of The Miserable" and the killers of the dream

      4. By surrounding yourself with positive people

         a. People who will encourage you to do what is right - cf. He

            10:24

         b. People who refresh your spirit, not discourage it - e.g.,

            1Co 16:17-18; Phm 4-7

         c. People like Barnabas, "Son of Encouragement" - e.g., Ac

            4:36; 11:22-24

      -- With the right self-talk and the right companionships, we can

         avoid becoming hardened by the sin of negativity - cf. He 3:13

   C. LIVE IN THE PRESENT, WITH AN EYE TO THE FUTURE...

      1. Live in the present, not the past

         a. If anyone could have bemoaned his sinful past, it was Paul

            - 1Ti 1:12-15

         b. Yet he chose not to dwell on past mistakes (or even past

            successes), but to press on in the future - cf. Php 3:12-14

      2. Live in the present, with an eye to the future

         a. This is what Paul did, reaching forward to the prize of the

            upward call of God in Christ Jesus - Php 3:12-14

         b. It was the future glory that enabled him to endure the

            present trial - 2Co 4:17-18

      -- This mature attitude (cf. Php 3:15) is what helped Paul to

         maintain a positive attitude even in the most difficult of

         times - cf. 2Ti 4:18

CONCLUSION

1. We have every reason to have a positive attitude about our spiritual

   growth...

   a. God is ready to help us grow - Php 2:12-13

   b. He provided tools to us help us grow (the Word, prayer, etc.)

      - 1Pe 2:2; Php 4:6-7

   c. He designed the church to provide an environment conducive to

      growth - Ep 4:16

   d. Our labors will not be in vain, nor go unnoticed - cf. He 6:10

   e. Even when we fall, He provides forgiveness - 1Jn 1:9

2. The challenge we face is to not allow our positive attitude to be

   destroyed...

   a. Through negative self-talk

   b. Through negative people

   c. Through trying circumstances

3. The choice is ours...

   a. We can choose to be positive through faith in God

   b. We can block out negativity that surrounds us

   c. We can live in the present (instead of the past), with an eye on

      the future

Will we make the right choice?  Have you made to choice to follow God?

   "And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for

   yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which

   your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or

   the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me

   and my house, we will serve the LORD."

                                                       - Josh 24:15