TOPIC: WHEN YOU PRAY II
MEMORISE: Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. Psalm 95:2
READ: Matthew 6:9-13
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
MESSAGE
Yesterday, I discussed the importance of being totally focused while praying. Today, I will continue the discussion on how to pray effectively.
When you pray you must note that prayer is not a one- way conversation but a dialogue between you and God. In other words, prayer is not complete when you only talk to God and do not give Him the opportunity to speak back to you. In fact, whenever I pray, and I don't get a response from God, I become worried because I really want to hear what He has to say. Even if his response is a rebuke, at least I know He has heard me. Habakkuk 2:1 says:
I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.
You are to stand on your watch until you hear what God has to say. It is not just a time to pour out all your complaints, wait to hear from Him too.
The reason many people don't hear from God is that they just come to the place of prayer and start making requests. Isaiah 55:6 says that you should call on Him when He is near. You must first draw Him near to you before you call on Him. Psalm 100:4 says:
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.
The Scripture above means that if you want to go near God, as you enter into His courts, you should come with praises and thanksgiving.
In our Bible reading for today, Jesus taught the disciples how to pray. He started with praise, saying, "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name." It is this praise that gets you into His courts and then gives you an audience with Him. Before you pray, praise God first. For a prayer session of one hour, spend at least 50 minutes praising Him. After you have praised Him sufficiently and He has drawn near to you, you can be sure that He can hear you and that you will receive answers to your prayers.
ACTION POINT
The next time you are praying, start with thanksgiving and praises before you make a request. Then, wait to hear from Him.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Kings 24-25
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
HYMN 18: Praise To The Lord The Almighty
1. Praise to the Lord,
the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is
thy health and salvation:
Join the great throng
psaltery,organ and song
sounding in glad adoration!
2. Praise to the Lord,
who over all he gloriously reigneth:
Borne as on eagle-wings, safely
his saints, He sustaineth.
Hast thou not seen
How all thou needest hath been
Granted in what He ordaineth?
3. Praise to the Lord,
who doth prosper thy way and defend thee;
Surely his goodness and mercy
shall ever attend thee;
Ponder anew, What the Almighty can do,
Who with His love doth befriend thee
5. Praise to the Lord!
Oh, let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath breath, join with
Abraham’s seed to adore Him!
Let the Amen, sum all our praises again;
Now as we worship before Him.
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