“But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you” – Matthew 6:6
What a blessing is ours in Christ. The Lord Jesus shares with us in Matthew 6:6“When you DO PRAY, go into your room {a place of aloneness with God, a place where you can be undisturbed} close the door and PRAY TO YOUR FATHER, who is unseen. THEN YOUR FATHER who SEES WHAT IS DONE IN SECRET, WILL REWARD YOU.”
We cannot only have the assurance as we Pray according to Gods will- He hears and will answer- 1 John 5:14-15 “This is the ASSURANCE WE HAVE in APPROACHING GOD; That if we ask anything ACCORDING TO HIS WILL He hears us.
And if we KNOW that He hears us-whatever we ask- we know that we have what we asked of Him.”
We know as we ask according to His will that which Glorifies Him most He will do-{John 14:13-14; John 16:23-24; John 15:7-8; Matt 6:9-10}
And the One we ask of – “THE ONE TRUE AND LIVING GOD AND JESUS CHRIST WHOM HE HAS SENT…”- {John 17:3} -has the UNLIMITED ABILITY TO PERFORM HIS PROMISES- HE IS Present tense- ABLE…
Lets consider POWER IN PRAYER; and the GOD WHO IS ABLE…
The Bible says God is ABLE
1. “God is ABLE to Graft them in again” – Rom 11:23
2. “The Lord is ABLE to make him stand.” – Rom 14:4
3. “Now to Him who is ABLE to establish you…” – Rom 16:25
4. “And God is ABLE to make all grace abound toward you…”- 2 Cor 9:8
5. “Now to Him who is ABLE to do the exceeding abundant beyond all we ask or think.” – Eph 3:20
6. “…I am convinced that He is ABLE to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.” – 2 Tim 1:12
7. “…He IS ABLE to come to the aid of those who are tempted.” – Heb 2:18
8. “…to the One who is ABLE to save Him from death…”- Heb 5:7
9. “…He is ABLE to save forever those who draw near to God through Him…”- Heb 7:27
10. “…Considered that God is ABLE to raise men from the dead.”
God Your Father has the ABILITY to Answer your prayers.
PRAISE GOD:
You have been Adopted, you have Access, Acceptance, an Advocate, Authority, Assurance, an Almighty God who has the Ability to answer your prayers, sitting on His Throne right now ,” For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears ATTEND to their prayers.”- {1 Pet 3:12}
You have the PRIVILEGE to Pray …
to a Gracious God, who has the POWER to answer, You have MAGNIFICENT PROMISES to avail of in prayer- {2 Pet 1:3-4} and remember and always keep before you …
THE PURPOSE OF PRAYER;
The Father waits for you to pray, and because of the Son you have Access and the Privilege today to Pray to One who delights in you-Psalm 18:19 and desires to answer prayers that align up with His Purpose. And what is the Purpose of Prayer? {John 15:7-8}- The GLORY OF GOD.
Not only were you Created for His Glory– Isa 43:7, You were purchased with the Blood of His Son to live for His Glory- 1 Cor 6:19-20… and in every circumstance and situation the GOVERNING and GUIDING TRUTH is to be in all that you “do, do for the Glory of God” – {1 Cor 10:31}… and that includes Praying.-{John 1:7-8}
The Son prayed such in Gethsemane “Not My will, But Your will be done Father GLORIFY THY NAME.” -{John 12:27-28.} Facing the cross His desire was that the Father be Glorified, irrespective of what happened to Him…
The issue in Prayer as life, is not what happens to you or me but in the circumstances we find ourselves in that the Father be glorified.
When you pray, ask yourself this question.” Am I asking because this will Glorify God?”
PROBLEMS IN PRAYER
Apathy and Arrogance are 2 problems concerning Prayer. Peter made a great profession yet the Lord found him sleeping and asked him if he could not pray for one hour? He was self sufficient, arrogant in his own strength and when the test came he fell, because we are not sufficient within our selves, our sufficiency is of God- {2 Cor 3:5-6} who alone enables us to stand. {Luke 18:1} says “Pray lest you faint.” The alternative to prayer is to spiritually faint, fall apart when pressures come.
Several Reasons our Prayers are not answered are because of
A. Unbelief.- Mark 11:23
B. Un-forgiveness – Mark 11:25
C. Marital strife – 1 Pet 3:7
D. Un-confessed and un-forsaken sin- Ps 66:18
E. Asking with wrong motives. – James 4:2
Just as dirty spark plugs hinder the power of a car working. So un-dealt with sin inhibits our prayers being answered and God being Glorified. Are you aware of any of the above sins in your life at the moment?
Consider the Words of Jesus, “ If therefore you are presenting your offering at the alter, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the alter and GO your way; FIRST be reconciled to your brother, and then COME and present your offering.”- {Matt 5:23}
God wants right relationships if there is to be Right and acceptable worship.” Anyone whom you have sinned against, with your lips or deeds, and they KNOW about it? Then dear friend it is time to stop and be reconciled Immediately. Public sin, public confession to the one you have sinned against. In other words if they know you have sinned against them then Go to them and humble yourself and ask forgiveness. Private sin, private confession. In other words if you have had an unloving attitude towards someone and they do not know it. Privately confess to God and choose to love the other person God has commanded us to Love.
LOVE ONE ANOTHER – John 13:34-“A New Commandment I give you LOVE ONE ANOTHER as I HAVE LOVED YOU, So you MUST Love one another”
LOVE YOUR ENEMIES – Luke 6: 27- 31 “LOVE your enemies, DO GOOD to those who hate you, BLESS those who curse you, PRAY for those who mistreat you….DO TO OTHERS as you would have them do to you”
The Lord Jesus shows us how to CHOOSE to Love others…by DOING GOOD…BLESS them PRAY FOR THEM…
SIN IS A LACK OF LOVE – IT IS LOVELESS-NESS IN ACTION!
So, Let us examine our hearts and make sure as much as is in us we are at peace with all men. Let us Ponder the Ability – the Power of God- who created the world from nothing…- Gen 1:1 and Who presently upholds it all effortlessly-{Heb 1:3.}
Let us remember the PURPOSE OF PRAYER- HIS GLORY…and Let us deal with any and all PROBLEMS that would hinder our prayers from achieving such….
Go ahead dear followers of the LORD JESUS CHRIST- YOUR PRAYERS ARE BEING HEARD- {1 PETER 3:12.}..before the Throne of God- {Heb 4:16…}
No power can defeat His Purposes.
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Power to open the Red Sea – Exodus 14:21-22
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Power to Deliver those who were demon possessed – Luke 4:35
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Power to Raise the Lame — Acts 3:1-10
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Power to Give sight to the Blind – Mark 10:46-52
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Power to Raise the Dead – Luke 7:12-17
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Power to forgive sins — Matthew 9:2-8
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Power to defeat the devil — Hebrews 2:14
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Power to Justify you before God and make you a child of God – Romans 5:1
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Resurrection Power – Luke 24:5-7
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Ascension Power – Acts 1:9-11