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Feb 09, 2015
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Prayer: Talking to God in the Power of the Holy Spirit

Prayer:  Talking with God in the Power of the Holy Spirit

 

Communication is a key element to having a healthy relationship with God

  • The Bible is God way of communicating with us

 

  • Prayer is us communicating with God. 

 

Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and grace to help in time of need. (Hebrew 4:16)

Prayer is for the Children of God through faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:26; John 1:12). They alone have the right to approach the throne of grace and say, “Heavenly Father”.   The unbeliever only is to pray the prayer of salvation.

Why should we pray?

  1.  We are mandated to Pray (Matt. 7:7; 1 Thess. 5:7)

 

     2. Prayer is one of the most powerful weapons of the Spiritual life and as Christians we are to take full advantage of this weapon. 

“It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer and while they are still speaking, I will hear.” (ISA 65:24)

Prayer demands faith. Faith is taking God at His word.  We are to believe that when we pray God hears our call, then we are to relax while God answer our request.  

“And all things you ask in prayer, believing [by faith], you shall receive them.” (Matt. 21:22)

How should we pray?

Prayer must be directed to:

  • The Father (Matt. 6:6; 9; EPH 5:20)
  • In the Name of the Son Jesus Christ (John 14:13-14)
  • In the Power of the Holy Spirit (EPH 6:18)

How long should our prayers be?

Our private prayers could be long but our public should be short, to the point avoiding needless repetition.  We are not to try to empress people in our public prayer or prayers made in a group (Matt. 6:5-7).

Sequence for private prayers

Communicating with God should involve 4 things:

  1. Confession of known sins (Psalm 66:18;  ISA 59:2; 1 John 1:5-2:2)
  2. Thanksgiving and Praise (1 Thess. 5:18)
  3. Interceding for others (EPH 6:18; EPH 1:15-23)
  4. Petitioning God for our needs (1 Sam. 1:9-17, Matt. 7:7-11)

Reasons prayer is not answered by God:

  1. Sin or being out of fellowship with God (ISA 59:2; Psalm 66:18)
  2. Unbelief (Matt. 21:22;  Philippians 4:6)
  3. Unforgiveness  (Ps. 66:18)
  4. Selfishness (James 4:2-4)
  5. Asking for the wrong reason (James 4:3- false motives)
  6. Disobedience (1 John 3:22; 1 Peter 3:7)
  7. Not doing what you know to be God’s will (1 John 5:14)
  8. Shutting the ear to the cry of the poor.  Lack of compassion to those in need (Prov. 21:13)

When a believer is being controlled by the old sin-nature and walking out of fellowship with God his prayers are hindered. He is not filled (controlled) by the Holy Spirit (EPH 5:18, EPH 6:18)

Points:

  • God is righteous
  • He can’not commune with sins
  • Sin separated the believer from fellowship with God

The Solution:

  • Confession of known sins before we pray to God (1 John 1:9)
  • Walk in obedience to God’s word (1 John 1:3:22). 

 

If we want God to answer our prayers we must be in fellowship with God as a way of life.  Trusting His promises, learning, thinking, and applying the word of God  in every area of our lives.
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