WELL KNOWN PRAYER “SECRETS”

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. PRAYER IS HARD WORK [Col. 4:2-3, 12]

 

Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

 

1. A Work of Co-operation [2 Cor. 1:9-11]

 

But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves , but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

 

2. A Work of Concentration [Lk. 11:1 shows it can be taught and thus learned]

 

And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

 

3. A Work of Patience [Dan. 10:1-14]

 

II. PRAYER IS HEART WORK

 

1. God's Heart Encourages Our Hearts [2 Sam. 7:27]

 

For thou, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.

 

2. Sin Impedes the Process, Righteousness Propels It [Ps. 66:18, James 4:1-6]

 

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 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. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 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. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

 

3. The Heart can be Trained [Ps. 37:4, Rm. 10:1]

 

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

 

III. PRAYER IS HEARD WORK

 

1. We Can Have God's Merciful Attention [Ps. 66:16-20]

 

Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

 

2. We Can Have God's Gracious Attention [Ps. 34:15, 1 Peter 3:12]

 

The eyes of the LORD [are] upon the righteous, and his ears [are open] unto their cry.

For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

 

3. We Can Have God's Great Answers [Jer. 33:3, Eph.3:20]

 

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,