September 8, 2019

Sunday School
Prayer - Part 2

Helplessness – inability to defend oneself or unable to act effectively.

Prayer – a solemn request for help or thanks addressed to God; an interaction with God; a petition to God for changing a situation for the better.

We need to pray prayers of helplessness.  Do you ever wonder how many of us as Christians are praying with that attitude…..the one of helplessness?  So often we prefer to suggest or even dictate to God what He should do.  We presume to know what needs to be done….and when…..and how.  But do we come to Him in helplessness? We resort to everything but that!!!

·        In our helplessness God shows us that we can do nothing at all for ourselves. Helplessness is the prerequisite (a thing that is required as a prior condition for something else to happen) to God answering our prayers.  So long as we believe that we are in charge, we are deluding ourselves that we, alone have the resources to supple our needs. This is a total LIE!!!  It is impossible for prayers to be answered out of a foundation of self-deception and untruth.

·        We created nothing, are in charge of nothing, can do nothing for ourselves. Look at John 15:4-6 – Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  “I am the vine, you are the braches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

·        Abide – act in accordance with.

·        Even Jesus was helpless when He was in the flesh. John 5:19 – Then answered Jesus and said unto them, “I tell you the solemn truth, the Son can do nothing on His own initiative, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise.”

·        John 3:27 – “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.

·        Think about this.   Why is prayer so startlingly effective when we admit our own helplessness? 

·        Once we’ve admitted and surrendered to the fact that we are in no way able to do anything for ourselves; we are on the fast track to that “right-attitude” which God recognizes as essential to prayer.  Secondly, establishing a right relationship with God allows our hearts to open up to receive what God has deemed us to have. All we need to do is stop depending on our inadequate human resources and allow Him to handle everything.

·        Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will direct your paths.

·        Is your prayer lacking emotion? Are you praying without that deep, pulsing need to be heard? Is a “fuse” not lit up inside you when you pray? 

·        If you can admit, to yourself, that, “Yes, I’m not praying as I should,” this admission may be painful but if your heart and soul aren’t committed to the prayer, it’s like a flame flickering and then blown out!

·        Sometimes our mines talk us out of or turns us away from a prayer. We begin to doubt or we feel like we are dangling over a cliff about to topple over. But keep this in mind: Ephesians 3:20 – Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be the glory…….

·        Watch for those open doors or windows.  Be assured that God’s hand is on the knob.

·        Know that the emptier your cup is, the more room you have to receive God’s love and whatever His has in store for you.

·        Pray to God in thanks for your trials, because though trials we learn patience, endurance and grow in wisdom and faith.

·        Pray in faith if we expect to be heard.

·        Matthew 21:21-22 – And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.  And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

·        James 1:6-8 – But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.  For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

·        Prayers of faith are not about thinking we can help God fulfill our prayer, commanding God to do our bidding, or coming to Him in our own strength and wisdom. We can only pray by faith when we come in Jesus’ name…the only name that gives us access to the Father.  We must come in the humility of helplessness.

·        Finally, prayer’s power is outside of ourselves; prayer’s power is spiritual; & prayer’s power is personal.

Sermon
Matthew 6:31-34 - Therefore take no thought, saying, "What shall we eat? or, "What shall we drink? or, "Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Subject: How To Deal With Stress: Too Blessed To Be Stressed?!

• Is life too fast & furious, overwhelming, exhausting, etc.?
• Petition God to restore you.
• Are you sick & tired of being sick & tired?
• Do you feel like, "Don't push me because I'm too close to the edge already!"
• God invites us to have peace in the middle of all this world throws at us.

How To Deal In Times of Stress

1. Philippians 4:8 - 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.
2. Turn to nature and enjoy your surroundings.
3. Psalm 46:10 - Be still, and know that I am God.....
4. John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
5. John 16:33 - "I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage - I have conquered the world."
6. Concentrate on Jesus.
7. Use the prayer of "serenity" as a comfort - God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can,and the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardship as a pathway to peace; taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will......
8. Take your eyes off yourself and focus on others.
9. Remember, whatever we give out, comes back in that same form.
10. Proverbs 3:5-6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways submit to Him and He will direct your paths.
11. Pray in the name of Jesus, the Christ!!

Types of Prayer

1.     The Prayer of Faith – James 5:15 – “And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up.”  Mark 9:23 – And Jesus said to him, “If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”

2.     The Prayer of Agreement (Corporate prayer) – Acts 1:14 – All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

3.     The Prayer of Supplication (Request) – Philippians 4:6 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God.”  Ephesians 6:18 – Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints…”

4.     The Prayer of Thanksgiving – Philippians 4:6 again.

5.     The Prayer of Worship – The prayer of worship is similar to the prayer of thanksgiving. The difference is that worship focuses on who God is; thanksgiving focuses on what God has done.  Acts 13:2-3 – While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”  Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

6.     The Prayer of Consecration – Sometimes, prayer is a time of setting ourselves apart to follow God’s will. Jesus made such a prayer the night before His crucifixion.  Matthew 26:39 – “And going a little farther He fell on His face and prayed saying, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not My will, but as Thy will be done.”

7.     The Prayer of Intercession – Many times our prayers include requests for others as we intercede for them. 1 Timothy 2:1 – First of all, then I urge that supplications prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people……!  John 17:1-26 – When Jesus had spoken these words, He lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Don may glorify You, since you have given Him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to For only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent…………..!

8.     The Prayer of Imprecation – Imprecatory prayers are found in the Psalms (7, 55, & 69). They are used to invoke God’s judgment on the wicked and thereby avenge the righteous. The psalmists use this type of appeal to emphasize the holiness of God and the surety of His judgment.  Jesus teaches us to pray for blessing on our enemies, not cursing. Matthew 5:44-48 – But I say to you, ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven,. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? ………..!

9.     The Prayer of the Spirit – 1 Corinthians 14:14-15 – For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.   Romans 8:26-27 – Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.  And He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Something else to think about:

Mark 4:35-41 – On that day, when evening came, Jesus said to His disciples, “Let’s go across to the other side of the lake.” So after leaving the crowd, they took Him along, just as He was, in the boat, and other boats were with Him.  Now a great windstorm developed and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was nearly swamped. But He was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. They woke Him up and said to Him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are about to die?”  So He got up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” Then the wind stopped, and it was dead calm.  And He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” And they were overwhelmed by fear and said to one another, “What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

Think of these passages as “The Storm Principle.”

1.     With Jesus, we may not always have smooth sailing, but we are SAFE.

2.     Even in the storm, we are as SAFE as Jesus is.