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SERIES: EPHESIANS: THE CALL AND CONDUCT OF THE CHURCH, WEEK 56

TITLE: THE FOUR ALLS OF PRAYER

TEXT: EPHESIANS 6:18

INTRODUCTION: (1) IF THERE IS A COMMON AREA OF DISSATISFACTION IN MOST CHRISTIAN’S LIVES, IT WOULD BE IN THE AREA OF OUR PRAYER LIVES.

* AND IF THAT IS THE CASE FOR YOU TODAY, YOU ARE IN GOOD COMPANY.

** FOR EVEN SPIRITUAL GIANTS LIKE CHARLES SPURGEON FROM ANOTHER ERA MADE THIS STATEMENT AND I QUOTE:

*** “I USUALLY FEEL MORE DISSATISFIED WITH MY PRAYERS THAN WITH ANYTHING ELSE I DO.” (END QUOTE)

**** AND I IDENTIFY WITH THAT STATEMENT FOR I HUMBLY SAY I’M IN THE WORD EVERYDAY AND STUDY IS A PART OF WHAT I DO AS A PASTOR-TEACHER.

(2) BUT OH HOW EASY IT IS TO SLACK OFF IN THE AREA OF FERVENT PRAYER.

* BUT THE RESULTS ARE DISASTROUS FOR ALL OF US. WE ARE WEAK WHEN WE MIGHT BE STRONG, ANXIOUS AND FULL OF WORRY AND CARES WHEN WE MIGHT HAVE PEACE AND YIELD TO THE FLESH RATHER THAN WALK IN THE SPIRIT.

** AS THE HYMN WRITER SAID: QUOTE IT. (OH WHAT PEACE WE OFTEN FORFEIT…)

*** AND BELOVED, THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE LOSE OUT WHEN WE DON’T PRAY, WE ARE THE LOSERS.

**** AND I DON’T WANT YOU TO GET THE IMPRESSION BY WHAT I HAVE SAID THAT PRAYER IS ALL ABOUT US AND WHAT WE CAN GIVE, FOR A BIG PART OF PRAYER IS PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING AND ASCRIBING GLORY TO GOD, ULTIMATELY IT’S ALL ABOUT HIM.

(3) BUT IN GOD’S PLAN HE HAS ORDAINED THAT THROUGH PRAYER WE EXPERIENCE THE PEACE OF GOD AND POWER.

* IN FACT GOD HAS ORDAINED THAT PRAYER IS THE ENERGY THAT ENABLES US AS CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS TO PUT ON THE ARMOR OF GOD AND TO TAKE THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD.

** PRAYER IS A PART OF OUR SENTENCE IN THE GREEK THAT BEGINS IN V. 14 AND DOESN’T END UNTIL V. 20.

*** PRAYER THEN BECOMES A CLOSING PART OF THIS GREAT SENTENCE ABOUT THE ARMOR OF GOD.

**** BUT NOTE THAT THOUGH PRAYER IS CLOSELY RELATED TO GOD’S ARMOR, IT IS NOT MENTIONED AS A PART OF IT, BECAUSE IT IS MORE THAN THAT.

(4) PRAYER WORKS IN CONCERT WITH THE ARMOR. YET PAUL IS NOT SAYING THAT IN ADDITION TO THE ARMOR, ADD PRAYER, HE IS IMPLYING THAT PRAYER IS WOVEN INTO THE ARMOR.

* IN OTHER WORDS, ALL THROUGH THE PROCEDURE OF ARMING OURSELVES AND UNDERGOING THE DEMANDS OF THE BATTLE, WE ARE TO BE ENGAGED IN PRAYER.

** ALL THE WHILE THAT WE ARE STANDING FIRM WITH ALL THE PIECES OF ARMOR, WE ARE TO BE IN PRAYER.

*** PRAYER IS THE VERY SPIRITUAL AIR THAT THE SOLDIER OF CHRIST BREATHES. IT IS THE ALL-PERVASIVE STRATEGY IN WHICH WARFARE IS FOUGHT.

**** FOR YOU SEE PAUL REALIZES WHEN THE SPIRITUAL BATTLES GETS HARD, SOLDIERS EASILY BECOME TIRED, WEAK AND DISCOURAGED.

(5) AND IN OUR STRUGGLE WITH OUR ENEMY, IT’S EITHER PRAY OR FAINT, READ MATTHEW 26:41.

* AND THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP FROM BEING ENGULFED IN TEMPTATION IS TO BE AWARE OF SATAN’S CRAFTINESS AND NOT ONLY GO IMMEDIATELY TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IN PRAYER WHEN WE ARE ALREADY UNDER ATTACK, BUT TO PRAY IN ANTICIPATION OF COMING TEMPTATION.

** AND AS WE GO BACK TO EPHESIANS 6:18, PAUL’S ADMONITION HERE TOWARD THE END OF THE BOOK TO PRAY AT ALL TIMES IS NOT ACCIDENTAL.

*** FOR NOT ONLY DOES IT GIVE FINAL INSTRUCTION ABOUT THE BELIEVER’S WARFARE, BUT IT IS A CLIMATIC TRUTH OF THE ENTIRE EPISTLE.

**** THE REASON BEING, PRAYER FILLS ALL THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. EPHESIANS BEGINS BY LIFTING US UP TO THE HEAVENS IN CHAPTER 1 AND ENDS BY PULLING US DOWN TO OUR KNEES.

(6) NOW WITH ALL THAT IN MIND, NOTE THAT IN EPHESIANS 6:18 PAUL USES THE WORD “ALL” FOUR TIMES TO EMPHASIZE THE PRIORITY OF PRAYER.

* AND THE FOUR “ALLS” IN THE VERSE INTRODUCE 5 EMPHASIS OF PRAYER TO US WHICH WILL BE OUR OUTLINE UNDER THE TITLE, “THE FOUR ALLS OF PRAYER.”

** AND OUR 5 POINTS WILL BE NO. 1 THE PRACTICE OF PRAYER; NO. 2 THE PRESENCE OF PRAYER; NO. 3 THE POWER OF PRAYER; NO. 4 THE PERSEVERANCE OF PRAYER; AND NO. 5 THE PEOPLE WE PRAY FOR.

*** AND WITH THOSE 5 POINTS AS OUR OUTLINE TODAY, LET’S GO TO OUR FIRST POINT, THE PRACTICE OF PRAYER. LOOK A THE FIRST PHRASE IN V. 18 PLEASE.

I. THE PRACTICE OF PRAYER, (READ V. 18A)

A. NOW THE WORDS PRAYER AND PETITION – OR SUPPLICATION REFER TO DIFFERENT KINDS OF PRAYER.

* AND FIRST OF ALL NOTE THAT THE GREEK WORD FOR PRAYER IS THE RELIGIOUS TERM THAT IS USED TO DESIGNATE THE ACT OF WORSHIP THAT IS DIRECTED TO GOD AND IS NEVER USED WHEN MEN ARE ADDRESSED.

** IT’S NOT SO MUCH ASKING, BUT GIVING. IT IS GENERAL BUT I BELIEVE MORE WORSHIP ORIENTED.

*** NOW NEXT WE HAVE THE WORD PETITION. AND THE WORD FOR PETITION HAS TO DO WITH SPECIFIC REQUESTS, ASKING FOR CERTAIN THINGS, SPECIFIC THINGS.

1. AND AS YOU PUT THOSE TWO WORDS TOGETHER, PAUL MAKES A SPECIAL POINT THAT THE SOLDIERS COMMUNION WITH HIS GENERAL, THE BELIEVER’S FELLOWSHIP WITH HIS GOD SHOULD NOT BE OF JUST ONE KIND. OUR PRAYER LIVES ARE NOT LIMITED TO ONE KIND OF PRAYING.

* IN OTHER WORDS SOME PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS ASKING FOR THINGS, THEIR ENTIRE PRAYER LIFE IS GIVE ME, GIVE ME. IT’S LIMITED, ONE SIDED, RATHER THAN MULTI-FACETED.

** BUT PRAYER, THE FIRST WORD USED HERE I BELIEVE HAS MORE TO DO WITH THAN JUST ASKING BUT WORSHIP, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE PRAISE, THANKSGIVING, ADORATION AND CONFESSION OF SIN.

2. NOW THE SECOND WORD PETITION OR SUPPLICATION IS MORE SPECIFIC IN ASKING. AND OUR PRAYER LIFE SHOULD BE DEFINITE, NOT JUST GENERALITIES, LORD BLESS ALL THE MISSIONARIES IN THE WORLD, BUT LORD WORK IN THE DEFELICE’S LIVES, THE MCDUFFIE’S LIVES, BARB DUNBAR’S LIFE, ETC.

* SO WITH ALL PRAYER AND PETITION, PRAY AND THE BELIEVER WHO PRAYS ONLY TO ASK FOR THINGS IS MISSING OUT ON BLESSINGS THAT COME WITH INTERCESSION AND GIVING OF THANKS, IT MUST BE BALANCED.

** IN FACT I THINK THE SELFISH PRAYING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED WITH COMES FROM A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT PRAYER IS ALL ABOUT. PRAYER IS NOT TWISTING GOD’S ARM TO GET OUR WILL BUT SUBMITTING TO HIM TO ACCOMPLISH HIS WILL.

*** ROBERT LAW SAID, “PRAYER IS NOT GETTING MAN’S WILL DONE IN HEAVEN; IT IS GETTING GOD’S WILL DONE ON EARTH.”

3. AND JAMES 4:2&3 SAYS: (READ THEM)

* SO LET’S BE INVOLVED IN ASKING, YES, BUT NOT SELFISH PRAYERS. OUR PRAYERS SHOULD BE FILLED WITH PRAISING, THANKING, ADORING AND WORSHIPPING. THAT’S THE KIND OF PRACTICE OF PRAYER THAT OUR LORD WANTS WHICH LEADS US TO OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE PRESENCE OF PRAYER, LOOK BACK AT V. 18 PLEASE.

II. THE PRESENCE OF PRAYER, (READ V. 18B)

A. NOW WE ARE TO PRAY AT ALL TIMES AND WE ARE IN THE LORD’S PRESENCE AT ALL TIMES, WE DON’T HAVE TO PRAY LORD, WE COME INTO YOUR PRESENCE, WE ARE AS CLOSE AS THE MENTION OF HIS NAME. SO WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE IN COMMUNION WITH THE LORD, WE NEED TO KEEP THE SPIRITUAL RECEIVER OFF THE HOOK.

* SO WHEN ARE WE TO PRAY? THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS. AND SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE COME OUT OF BACKGROUNDS WHERE YOU READ OUT OF A PRAYER BOOK OR PRAYED AT A CERTAIN TIME, WHICH LIMITS PRAYER.

** WELL, WE ARE NOT TO PRAY AT SET TIMES, WE ARE TO PRAY AT ALL TIMES.

1. JESUS SAID IN LUKE 21:36 – “WATCH YE, THEREFORE AND PRAY ALWAYS.” IN ACTS 6:4 THE APOSTLES SAID, “WE WILL GIVE OURSELVES CONTINUALLY TO PRAYER” AND THE KEY WORD IS CONTINUALLY.

* IN ROMANS 12:12 IT SAYS: (READ IT).

** IN COLOSSIANS 4:2 IT SAYS “CONTINUE IN PRAYER.” IN PHILIPPIANS 4:6 IT SAYS “IN EVERYTHING BY PRAYER.”

*** IN I THESSALONIANS 5:17 IT SAYS WHAT?

2. THEN IN II TIMOTHY 1:3 THE APOSTLE PAUL INDICATED THAT HE PRAYED WITHOUT CEASING. HE WROTE THIS TO TIMOTHY: “WITHOUT CEASING I HAVE REMEMBRANCE OF THEE IN MY PRAYERS NIGHT AND DAY.”

* SO IT IS CLEAR THAT WE ARE TO PRAY ALWAYS, TO PRAY AT ALL TIMES, TO PRAY WITHOUT CEASING, TO PRAY ON EVERY OCCASION.

** AND TO PRAY AT ALL TIMES OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT MEAN WE ARE TO PRAY IN FORMAL OR NOTICEABLE WAYS EVERY WAKING MOMENT OF OUR LIVES. JESUS DID NOT DO THAT, NOR DID THE APOSTLES.

*** MATTHEW 6:5&6 – “WHEN YOU PRAY, YOU ARE NOT TO BE LIKE THE HYPOCRITES; FOR THEY LOVE TO STAND AND PRAY IN THE SYNAGOGUES AND ON THE STREET CORNERS SO THAT THEY MAY BE SEEN BY MEN. TRULY I SAY TO YOU, THEY HAVE THEIR REWARD IN FULL.”

V. 6 – “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.”

**** BUT ALSO TO PRAY AT ALL TIMES CERTAINLY DOES NOT MEAN WE ARE TO DEVOTE OURSELVES TO RITUALISTIC PATTERNS OR FORMS OF PRAYER THAT ARE RECITED MECHANICALLY FROM A PRAYER BOOK OR WHILE COUNTING BEADS.

- FOR THAT AMOUNTS TO NO MORE THAN THE “MEANINGLESS REPETITION” THAT CHARACTERIZES PAGAN WORSHIP, MATTHEW 6:7 – WATCH OUT FOR THAT!!

3. SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO PRAY ALWAYS?

* BELOVED TO PRAY AT ALL TIMES IS TO BE IN THE ATTITUDE OF PRAYER, IT IS TO LIVE IN CONTINUAL GOD CONSCIOUSNESS, WHERE EVERYTHING WE SEE AND EXPERIENCE BECOMES A BREATH OF PRAYER.

** TO PRAY ALWAYS MEANS WHEN WE ARE TEMPTED, WE HOLD THE TEMPTATION BEFORE GOD AND ASK FOR HELP. WHEN WE EXPERIENCE SOMETHING GOOD AND BEAUTIFUL, WE IMMEDIATELY THANK THE LORD FOR IT.

*** WHEN WE SEE EVIL AROUND US, WE PRAY THAT GOD WILL MAKE IT RIGHT AND BE WILLING TO BE USED OF HIM TO THAT END.

4. IT MEANS WHEN WE MEET SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT KNOW CHRIST, WE PRAY FOR THEIR SOUL AND TO USE US TO BE A FAITHFUL WITNESS TO THEM.

* IT MEANS WHEN WE ENCOUNTER TROUBLE, WE TURN TO GOD AS OUR DELIVERER, AS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH, PSALM 46:1, PSALM 50:15.

** BELOVED TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, PRAYING ALWAYS MEANS OUR LIVES BECOME A CONTINUAL ASCENDING PRAYER, A PERPETUAL COMMUNING WITH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER AND ALMOST ANYTHING CAN TRIGGER PRAYER, THAT’S WHAT IT MEANS TO PRAY AT ALL TIMES.

*** THE PSALMIST SAID IN PSALM 63:1, “EARLY WILL I SEEK THEE”. BUT ALSO HE SAID IN PSALM 55:17, “EVENING AND MORNING AND AT NOON WILL I PRAY”. JESUS CONTINUED ALL NIGHT IN PRAYER TO GOD. I TIMOTHY 5:5 SAYS THAT GODLY WIDOWS “CONTINUETH IN SUPPLICATIONS AND PRAYERS NIGHT AND DAY”.

* AND MY POINT IS PRAYER SHOULD BE A WAY OF LIFE. LET’S LEARN TO TAKE UP OPPORTUNITIES, TO REDEEM THE TIME FOR PRAYER AND CONTINUALLY BE MINDFUL TO PRAY. LET’S ALLOW THE DAILY EVENTS OF LIFE TO BE ALARMS TO TRIGGER PRAYER.

** SO THE PRESENCE OF PRAYER, PRAYING ALWAYS SHOULD BE LIKE BREATHING TO US WHICH LEADS US TO OUR 3’D POINT TODAY, THE POWER OF PRAYER. LOOK BACK AT V. 18 PLEASE.

III. THE POWER OF PRAYER, (READ V. 18)

A. NOW THE POWER OF PRAYER COMES FROM PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT. AND PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT IS TALKED ABOUT SEVERAL TIMES IN SCRIPTURE.

** FOR EXAMPLE IN JUDE V. 20 IT SAYS:

ROMANS 8:26 (READ IT)

V. 27 – “AND HE WHO SEARCHES THE HEARTS KNOWS WHAT THE MIND OF THE SPIRIT IS, BECAUSE HE INTERCEDES FOR THE SAINTS ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD.”

1. NOW WHAT IT MEANS TO PRAY IN THE SPIRIT IS SOMETIMES MISUNDERSTOOD AND DEBATED.

* SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO PRAY IN THE SPIRIT?

** WELL, LET ME SAY THAT TO PRAY IN THE SPIRIT IS TO PRAY IN THE NAME OF CHRIST, TO PRAY CONSISTENT WITH HIS NATURE AND WILL, READ JOHN 14:13&14.

*** TO PRAY IN THE SPIRIT IS TO PRAY IN CONCERT WITH THE SPIRIT, WHO HELPS OUR WEAKNESS, READ ROMANS 8:26.

ROMANS 8:27 – “AND HE WHO SEARCHES THE HEARTS KNOWS WHAT THE MIND OF THE SPIRIT IS, BECAUSE HE INTERCEDES FOR THE SAINTS ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD.”

**** NOW TO PRAY IN THE SPIRIT IS TO PRAY WITH HIS HELP AND IN HARMONY WITH HIS WILL AS REVEALED IN THE WORD WHICH HE INSPIRED.

2. SO OUR NEED IS TO LINE UP OUR MIND AND DESIRES WITH HIS MIND AND DESIRES, WHICH ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE WILL OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND AS WE ARE YIELDING TO HIM HE WILL LEAD US IN OUR PRAYERS.

* AGAIN PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT IS SYNONYMOUS WITH PRAYING IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS AND WHEN A PERSON DOES THAT HE IS PRAYING ACCORDING TO CHRIST’S WILL.

** NOW HOW DO WE DO THAT? HOW DO WE PRAY IN THE SPIRIT? WELL, WE HAVE TO BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT. WE HAVE TO YIELD TO HIS CONTROL AND THEN WALK IN THE SPIRIT.

3. AND TO WALK IN THE SPIRIT’S LEADING AND POWER IS TO BE MADE ABLE TO PRAY IN THE SPIRIT, BECAUSE OUR PRAYER WILL THEN BE IN HARMONY WITH WHAT HE WANTS WHICH IS WHAT CHRIST WANTS.

* AND AS OUR LIVES ARE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE SPIRIT WILL GOVERN OUR THOUGHTS SO THAT OUR PRAYERS WILL BE IN HARMONY WITH HIM, HE WILL LEAD US WHAT TO PRAY FOR AS WE ARE UNDER HIS CONTROL. THAT’S WHAT IT MEANS TO PRAY IN THE SPIRIT.

** AND THAT IS THE POWER OF PRAYER, WHICH LEADS US TO OUR FOURTH POINT TODAY, THE PERSEVERANCE OF PRAYER, LOOK BACK AT V. 18 PLEASE.

IV. THE PERSEVERANCE OF PRAYER, (V. 18)

A. NOW THE IDEA OF PERSEVERANCE MEANS “TO STICK TO IT” OR “TO CONTINUE”. AND WE ARE TO PERSEVERE IN PRAYER, TO CONTINUE IN PRAYER, TO STICK TO IT.

* BUT ALSO WE ARE TO PRAY CONTINUOUSLY WHILE WATCHING. PRAYER INVOLVES BEING ALERT TO THE ISSUES – TO WATCH.

** FOR JESUS SAID IN MATTHEW 26:41 – (READ IT).

*** PETER SAID IN I PETER 4:7 – (READ IT).

1. AND THE POINT I WANT TO MAKE FROM THESE VERSES IS YOU CAN’T PRAY PROPERLY UNLESS YOU SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING, UNLESS YOU WATCH.

* AND AS YOU LOOK AROUND AND ARE ALERT, AS YOU WATCH, YOUR HEART WILL BE FILLED WITH PRAYER, IT WILL BE THE RESULT OF SEEING WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND YOU.

** AND AS YOU WATCH, AS YOU ARE ALERT, THERE ARE MANY THINGS TO PRAY FOR.

*** BUT UNFORTUNATELY MANY CHRISTIANS NEVER GET SERIOUS ABOUT PRAYER UNTIL A PROBLEM ARISES IN THEIR OWN LIFE OR IN THE LIFE OF SOMEONE THEY LOVE. THEY ARE NOT WATCHING, BEING ALERT.

**** THEN THEY ARE INCLINED TO PRAY INTENTLY, SPECIFICALLY AND PERSISTENTLY. YET THAT IS THE WAY CHRISTIANS SHOULD ALWAYS PRAY.

2. AND SENSITIVITY TO THE PROBLEMS AND NEEDS OF OTHERS, ESPECIALLY OTHER BELIEVERS WHO ARE FACING TRIALS OR HARDSHIPS, WILL LEAD US TO PRAY FOR THEM NIGHT AND DAY AS PAUL DID FOR TIMOTHY – II TIMOTHY 1:3.

* II TIMOTHY 1:3 – “I THANK GOD, WHOM I SERVE WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE THE WAY MY FOREFATHERS DID, AS I CONSTANTLY REMEMBER YOU IN MY PRAYERS NIGHT AND DAY.”

** SO WATCHING, SPIRITUAL ALERTNESS TO WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND US SPIRITUALLY LEADS US TO PERSEVERE IN OUR PRAYERS WHERE WE STICK TO IT AND CONTINUE, WE DON’T GIVE UP.

*** IN FACT PAUL COUNSELED THE COLOSSIANS TO DEVOTE THEMSELVES TO PRAYER IN COLOSSIANS 4:2. AND IT’S INTERESTING THAT THE GREEK VERB BEHIND DEVOTE MEANS TO BE STEADFAST, CONSTANT AND PERSEVERING.

*** AND TO BE ON THE ALERT WITH ALL PERSEVERANCE AND PETITION IS TO EARNESTLY, COURAGEOUSLY AND PERSISTENTLY BRING EVERYTHING IN OUR LIVES BEFORE GOD THAT WE ARE ALERTED TO, WE PETITION HIM FOR THOSE THINGS.

- AND THAT IS THE PERSISTENCE OF PRAYER WHICH LEADS US TO OUR LAST POINT, THE PEOPLE WE PRAY FOR. LOOK BACK AT V. 18 PLEASE.

V. THE PEOPLE WE PRAY FOR, (READ V. 18)

A. NOW ELSEWHERE PAUL COMMANDS US TO PRAY FOR UNBELIEVERS, FOR GOVT. LEADERS, AND FOR OTHERS, BUT HERE THE FOCUS IS ON ALL THE SAINTS. BELIEVERS, FOR ALL BELIEVERS ARE SAINTS, RIGHT? THAT’S OUR POSITION, NOT OUR PRACTICE.

* NOW NOTE IT IS ONLY SAINTS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THE SPIRITUAL WARFARE FOR WHICH GOD PROVIDES THE ARMOR PAUL HAS JUST BEEN DESCRIBING IN VV. 14-17 OF EPHESIANS 6 AND WHO ARE ABLE TO PRAY IN THE SPIRIT.

** SO WE ARE TO PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER, FOR ALL SAINTS. AND LET ME SAY IN LIGHT OF THAT AND EMPHASIZE THIS AGAIN AS I DID EARLIER, THAT IT IS NOT INAPPROPRIATE TO PRAY FOR OURSELVES ANY MORE THAN IT IS INAPPROPRIATE TO PRAY FOR PHYSICAL NEEDS.

** BUT JUST AS THE BIBLE PRIMARILY CALLS US TO PRAY ABOUT SPIRITUAL NEEDS RATHER THAN PHYSICAL, IT PRIMARILY CALLS US TO PRAY FOR OTHERS RATHER THAN OURSELVES, THE SAINTS, OTHERS.

1. AND ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS WE CAN DO FOR ANOTHER BELIEVER, FOR ANOTHER SAINT, OR THAT HE CAN DO FOR US, IS TO PRAY. (TO PRAY ONE FOR ANOTHER, TO PRAY FOR THE SAINTS).

* AND THAT IS THE WAY THE BODY OF CHRIST GROWS SPIRITUALLY AS WELL AS IN LOVE.

** FOR YOU SEE WHEN ONE MEMBER OF THE BODY IS WEAK, WOUNDED, OR CANNOT FUNCTION, THE OTHER MEMBERS COMPENSATE BY SUPPORTING AND HELPING STRENGTHEN IT – PRAYERS, PRAY FOR THEM.

*** IN FACT, SAMUEL SAID TO THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, “FAR BE IT FROM ME THAT I SHOULD SIN AGAINST THE LORD BY CEASING TO PRAY FOR YOU” – I SAMUEL 12:23.

2. BELOVED, LET’S NOT SIN AGAINST THE LORD BY NOT PRAYING FOR EACH OTHER, LET’S PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER, FOR THE SAINTS, READ JAMES 5:16.

IN WRAP UP: (1) WE NEED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PRACTICE OF PRAYER, THE PRESENCE OF PRAYER, THE POWER OF PRAYER, THE PERSEVERANCE OF PRAYER AND PRAYING FOR THE SAINTS, THE PEOPLE OF PRAYER.

* AND WE GET THOSE PRINCIPLES FROM THE FOUR ALLS OF PRAYER IN EPHESIANS 6:18. AND I HOPE THOSE PRINCIPLES MOVE US TO PRAY ALWAYS AND NOT FAINT, WHICH LEADS US TO OUR APPLICATION.

** AND IN APPLICATION TODAY I WANT TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS:

1. DO YOU PRAY SPECIFICALLY? IF YOU DON’T, BEGIN TO FIND OUT SPECIFIC NEEDS YOU CAN PRAY FOR SO YOU CAN GIVE GOD GLORY FOR HIS ANSWERS.

2. DO YOU PRAY MORE FOR OTHERS OR FOR YOURSELF?

3. DO YOU PRAY MORE FOR PEOPLE’S PHYSICAL NEEDS OR THEIR SPIRITUAL NEEDS? IF YOU PRAY MORE FOR THEIR PHYSICAL NEEDS, REEVALUATE YOUR PRIORITIES IN PRAYER. BY ALL MEANS CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR PHYSICAL NEEDS, BUT BEGIN TO CONCENTRATE MORE ON SPIRITUAL NEEDS AND ETERNAL THINGS. PRAY THAT OTHERS WILL EXPERIENCE MORE VICTORIES OVER SATAN’S ASSAULTS IN THE DAILY BATTLE.

4. ARE YOU PRAYING ALWAYS? ARE YOU IN AN ATTITUDE OF PRAYER?

* AND TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH AREAS OF NEED, BE ACCOUNTABLE TO SOMEONE IN THE AREA OF PRAYER AS YOU WOULD THE WORD OR PURITY OR WHATEVER.

** READ VERSE 18 AND PRAY.