Last week’s homework:
Make a commitment to develop a discipline of being intentional about your private prayer. Ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit and against a sinful habit you would like to stop.
Study the following verses-
Jeremiah 29:13– If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me
Daniel 6:10– But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.
Daniel 6:23– The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God.
**Pastor Blue can send individual scripture to address the sinful habit you would like to stop.
**Bonus- As part of next week’s homework, you should identify the scripture and add it to your resource list and report out to the group
Tonight’s Lesson: How can we embrace the power of prayer?
- Last week we discussed payer and backsliding
- When the disciples walked with Jesus, they had the privilege of asking any question they wanted
- We have that same privilege
- The thing that sticks out is they asked Him to teach them to pray
- Luke 11:1 “Teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples”
- They weren’t sure and they wanted an example of how to do it
- Power- You invite heaven’s resources to intervene in your earthly situation
- Heaven’s resources are omnipotent- What we need from heaven is unlimited!!
- We want God’s power to be demonstrated when we pray
- Miracles, signs, and wonders will be present and people will be delivered
- There’s power in prayer!
- Prayer shouldn’t be “just prayer”. Don’t pray just to be praying
- We want to pray and know without a shadow of a doubt that you will will receive the resources you’re seeking
- Psalm 107:28-30
- Acts 4:28-30
- When you seek heaven’s resources, something is going to happen
- We have what we say
- When God’s people ask Him for help in their current situation, God will move on their behalf
- It’s imperative that when we pray, we seek heaven’s resources and there is nothing that’s too hard for God!
- There’s nothing God won’t do when we believe what the Word of God says
- When your mindset shifts, you begin to believe before you even ask
- We must learn the Word and pray the Word which will not return void
- Your faith mixed with your belief activates God to move on your behalf
6 Prayer Points:
- God’s name: Have confidence to call Him Father with assurance (Our Father which art in heaven). When you pray, go to God as His child.
- God’s kingdom: Honor Him as holy (hallowed be Thy name). This part speaks to worship God with reverence & respect. Tell Him how awesome, loving, merciful He is. You can play worship music to shift the atmosphere.
- God’s will: Pray the agenda of God (Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven). His desire is that we all come to the knowledge of Christ. Pray for lost to be saved, the gospel to be spread & for missionaries & ministers to stay in alignment.
- God’s provision: Ask for your needs and desires remembering that He is your Father (Give us this day, our daily bread). If He dresses the lilies with beauty and splendor and watches over every sparrow, how much more does He love you?
- God’s forgiveness: Forgive others. If you harbor unforgiveness, it prevents you from being forgiven and it blocks your blessings (Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors).
- God’s deliverance: You need God’s guidance, leading & protection from known and unknown evil (lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil)
Closing: He has the power, glory, & ability & is sovereign. He rules and reigns forever (For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever)
In Jesus name, Amen
Homework
Make a list
What do Heaven’s resources look like?
Example- You want to stop a certain habit.
The question is…can God do it?- Yes
How do you know? Identify a scripture that will back up how Heaven’s resources will help
The end product will be a resource list!