Prayer
(1)
Course: The Importance of Effective Prayer.
Lesson
9
Lesson Title: The Time of Prayer.
Text: Ephesians
Introduction: Prayer is to be our
lifestyle.
'praying always'
Praying at all times means
·
…remaining in the place of
continuous communion with God. Our daily lives
involve thinking about many things. It
is not possible to be continuously praying with words but we must remain in the
place of prayer by keeping our heart in right relationship with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians
· …remaining in prayer in all circumstances and situations. We need to pray in abundance as well as times of need. We need to pray when we are prosperous or in poverty. We need to pray when times are easy as well as when times are difficult. We need to pray in health as well as sickness. David fell into sin with Bathsheba when he was at ease, 2 Samuel 11:1-2. We are often most in danger during the easy times.
Praying for all believers 'for all saints' means
·
continuously praying for each
other. This is such a big task it is only possible when we commit ourselves to
prayer. We should not be criticising one another, we should
learn to pray for one another. We are
not to be judgmental or condemning - we must be prayerful people. Let God know what is on your heart not man.
When we do speak make sure we have the mind of Christ - this is humility, Philippians 2:1-11.
Introductory Story: Smith Wigglesworth and prayer
Smith Wigglesworth learned the secret of walking in constant communion with God. Prayer was a life style not just something he set himself to do. When asked how long he prayed, he answered, it was unusual for him to spend 30 minutes without praying.
(Colin Whittaker, 'Seven Pentecostal Pioneers', Marshalls:Hants, UK, 1983, p.36.)
It is not how long we pray that is most important. It is how close we are to the Lord that is most important and prayer should be a continuous part of our daily fellowship with the Lord.
Exposition:
1. Praying at all times - Remaining in the place of prayer.
Keeping our minds and hearts in communion with God.
·
This involves keeping both our
thoughts and our actions holy. Philippians
4:8-9 'Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are
true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever
things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good
report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these
things. Those things, which you have both learned, and received, and heard, and
seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.'
·
We must keep our hearts from
sinful desires so that our spirit remains in continuous fellowship with
God. If we allow the love of the world
to have a hold on our hearts then we will not remain in communion with the
Lord. 1 John 2:15-17 'Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love
the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust
thereof: but he that does the will of God abides for ever.'
2. Praying in the early morning. Beginning the day with prayer so that the day will be the Lord's.
·
David wrote that he would seek
the Lord early. 'O God, you are my God; early will I seek you: my
soul thirsts for you, my flesh longs for you in a dry and thirsty land, where
no water is;' (Psalms 63:1). At the very beginning of the day David prayed. 'My voice
shall you hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer
unto you, and will look up.' (Psalms
5:3)
·
Jesus prayed in the early
morning alone with the Father. 'And in the morning, rising up a great while before day,
he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.' (Mark
·
We need to pray so that we know
the leading of the Holy Spirit during the day.
We will make mistakes and act presumptuously without early morning
prayer. David prayed to be kept from
presumptuous sins. Psalms
3. Special times of prayer.
Scripture shows us that we need to be continuously in the place of prayer and we need to pray daily as a normal practice, but there are also special times of prayer.
·
Jesus gave Himself to prayer before
times of great importance.
a)
Jesus spent all night in prayer
and then He called His disciples and from them He chose twelve whom He called
Apostles. Luke 6:12-13 'And it came to pass in those days, that he
went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to
God. And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he
chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;' This was a
very important time. Jesus was choosing
the one who would betray Him and called him an Apostle. There were others who were more suitable than
Judas, see Acts 1:21-23
(Barsabas and Matthias). But Judas was
chosen because of the plan and purpose of God.
Satan planned to use Judas to destroy Jesus.
Our prayer life must always seek the will of the Lord to be fulfilled. Many times this is contrary to human reasoning. Praying all night was not something Jesus did all the time. We must be careful not to become extreme or legalistic in regard to special times of prayer.
b)
Jesus agonised in prayer the
night before He was crucified, 'Then comes Jesus
with them unto a place called
·
Jesus took the time to pray at
busy times. Luke 5:15-16 'But so much the more went there a fame abroad of
him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of
their infirmities. And he withdrew
himself into the wilderness, and prayed.'
The more busy we are the more important it is to pray. All the great men and women of God who have had extremely busy lives have had to set time aside for prayer.
We must give ourselves to prayer.
·
The Apostles gave themselves to
prayer when times were busy. There was
much work to be taken care of, but the Apostles set themselves aside to the
word of God and to prayer. The work of
serving was appointed to Spirit filled men of God who were chosen by the people
and appointed by the Apostles. Acts 6:3-4 'Wherefore, brethren, look you out
among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom
we may appoint over this business. But
we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.'
Summary:
1) We must pray at all times by remaining in communion with the Lord so that we are continuously in the place of prayer.
2) Praying at the start of the day enables us to present the affairs of the day to the Lord for leading and guiding us.
3) There are special times of prayer when we must commit ourselves to prayer. The more busy we are the more essential it is to pray.