THE BLESSING OF PRAYER

PSALM 4

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. THE MECHANICS OF PRAYER (sort of a "How to get your prayers answered")

1. Be active [v. 1] "Hear me when I call, O God"

Jm. 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

God can't answer your prayers if you don't ask for anything.

I once wrote a friend, "I would have answered your letter sooner but you didn't send one."

2. Be right [v. 1] "O God of my righteousness"

Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Job 33:26 He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness.

Psalm 15:2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling

II Cor. 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

3. Be Grateful [v. 1] "thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress;"

David asked in Ps. 116:12 What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?

And part of the answer to that question was "I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD." [v. 16]

Ph. 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

4. Be Humble [v. 1] "have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer."

James 4:5-6 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

5. Be steady [v. 2] "Leasing"=falsehood

James 1:6-8 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

II. THE MASTER OF PRAYER

1. GOD instructs [v. 3] "But know"

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

II Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

2. GOD sanctifies [v. 3] "But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself:"

Titus 2:14 Who gave Himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Heb. 13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

Heb. 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

3. GOD replies [v. 3] "the LORD will hear when I call unto him. " (not a secretary... God Himself)

Jer. 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Psalm 34:6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

III. THE MAINTENANCE OF PRAYER

1. Be still and let God be God [v. 4]

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Ps. 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

Psalm 68:1 Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.

I Cor. 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

2. Serve God as you trust Him [v. 5]

Titus 3:5-8 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men

3. Pray and reap the benefits of gladness, peace and security [v. 6-8]

Is. 26:3-4 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: