July 3, 2011
AGF Summer Boot Camp Series
…Train Yourself To Be Godly (1 Timothy 4:7)
Part 3: Prayer For
The Purpose Of Godliness!
Key Verse: if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. ( 2 Chronicles 7:14)
The main ingredients of an effective prayer life are:
1. The right Attitude! (& 2 Chronicles 7:14 …will humble themselves )
Humble = he who bends himself…to bend the knee; hence, to humiliate, vanquish: KJV - bring down (low), into subjection, under, humble (self), subdue.
The greatest example of a humble attitude in prayer is Christ in the garden:
Matthew 26:42 He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."
A sample of God’s view of pride vs. humility
James 4:6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
Psalm 138:6 Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar.
Psalm 10:4 In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
2. Prayer! (& 2 Chronicles 7:14…and pray)
Jesus expects us to pray!
Matthew 6:5-9 "And when you pray, … 6 But when you pray, go …. 7 And when you pray, 9 "This, then, is how you should pray.
Luke 11:9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Colossians 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
3. Knowing where to Look! (& 2 Chronicles 7:14…and seek my face)
See Psalm 27 in it’s entirety
Psalm 27:8 My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek.
Psalm 105:4 Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.
4. Knowing where to Turn! (& 2 Chronicles 7:14…(& 2 Chronicles 7:14…and seek my face)
Repentance means to turn your bak on your sin and turn back to god!
2 Corinthians 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Luke 15:7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
5. Knowing what to Expect! (& 2 Chronicles 7:14…then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land)
a. Answered prayer! (& (& 2 Chronicles 7:14, Psalm 116:1-2)
& Psalm 34:15-17 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry; 16 the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. 17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.
& Psalm 116:1-2 I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. 2 Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.
Prayer is the only way to build and intimate relationship with the Lord!
b. Sins Forgiven! (& 2 Chronicles 7:14)
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Colossians 1:13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace
c. Freedom!
See all of Psalm 30
Psalm 30:10-12 Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me; O LORD, be my help." You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.
GOING DEEPER:
The primary pathway to spiritual healing is effective prayer. Freedom from shame, guilt, fear, anxiety, persecution, etc. can all be dispelled by developing a disciplied lifestyle of effective prayer.
So what is “effective prayer”?
How does if bring spiritual healing and freedom?
How does this help us become more godly?
Let me know what you think
