1. PURPOSE OF PRAYER
Nothing can be more important to a new church member or a member that wants to learn for certain that he/she is saved. Many Christians live frustrated and defeated lives because of a failure to understand
the plan of salvation.
As a Christian especially a new Christian, one of the
most essential elements or needs in your life is that of real sincere prayer. Before you undertake to go into the Christian
welfare and battle life, you must develop a constant, consistent and continuing prayer life. The following diagram outlines
will give you some steps you can follow that will help you to understand what prayer is and what it will do.
1. Prayer satisfies the deepest need of the human heart. Psalms 42:1,2
2. Prayer is a means of discovering God’s guidance. Matthew 6:9, James 1:5
3. Prayer is the means God has given us to deal with worry. Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Peter 5:7
4. Prayer is the means of communicating our needs and concerns to God. John 16:23-27, Hebrews
4:26, John 5:14
Things that will hinder effective prayer.
1. Not praying in faith or believing. James 1:5-8
2. Not praying enough or really asking for anything. Matthew 21:21-22
3. Asking for the wrong reasons (selfishness). James 4:3
4. Because of sins one fail to confess in ones life. Psalms 66:18
5. Because of unsolved martial problems. 1 Peter 3:7
6. Living outside of God’s will. John 5:14-15
To be more effective when you
pray.
1. Be well rounded in life.
There is more
than one type of prayer; in order to be effective there must be a balance in one’s prayer life. Philemon verses 4,6,
and 7, relates three essential elements of effective prayer.
4I
thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,
6That the communication
of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
7For we have great joy
and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
A. Personal request – The personal needs and desires we express to God.
B. Supplication – The request we make for other people and projects.
C. Thanksgiving – Remembering to thank God for his provisions for our needs.
2. Be Constant. Ephesians 1:16
3. Be Specific.
4. Be Persistent
5. Be systematic.
Prayer should be taken very serious. There is no greater
privilege that God has given us than the privilege of prayer; prayer gives us access into the very presence of God. To think
that you and I can hold conversation with the God of the universe and he hears us because he loves us and he answers our prayers
because of our relationship to His Son Jesus, without Him, we would not have access to the Father. The wonder is that we do
not use this privilege more.
How to deal with the demons of Temptation.
The best way to deal with the demons of temptation is have
faith in God, and follow His word, which means believe when it tells us the words in 1st Corinthians 10:13
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you
to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear
it.
Now temptation is anything that tries to move us away from the following of the Lord Jesus Christ.
