Prayer: The Sunshine for Spiritual Growth

Prayer=

The Sunshine for Spiritual Growth

Matthew 6:5-13= HCSB

introduction

Prayer- secret, ferve= nt, believing prayer- lies at the root of all personal godliness.

Prayer is exhaling th= e spirit of man and inhaling the spirit of God.

All our strength lies= in prayer! –Spurgeon

Neglect of private pr= ayer is the locust that devours the strength of the church. -Spurgeon

Prayer is the breath = of faith. Prayer meetings are the lungs of the church. -Spurgeon

1. The Essen= ce of Prayer

pray to your Father who is in secret… Our Father in heaven

Fellowship with the Father

<= /o:p>

The Example of Jesus

Ø Continually getting alone to pray

Ø When curtain pulled back: fellowsh= ip w/ Father

The Example of Daniel

= Only man in O.T. called “beloved”

Prayed three times a day: time with God!

He prays well who is so absorbed wi= th God that he does not know he is praying. -St. Francis of de Sales

Quality Time or Quality Time?

= Example: with spouse or with children=

&= nbsp; Would they settle for 5 minutes of quality time?

= Quality and quantity are both importan= t!

&= nbsp; Cannot have quality time in prayer without quantity time

= Making Our Relationship with God Our Priority

&= nbsp; Proverbs 8:17 =

"I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me. (NAS95)

2. The Entra= nce of Prayer

Our Father in heaven (Psalm 103:19 & Daniel 4:26)

Psalm 103:19

The LORD has established His thron= e in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all. (NAS95)<= /i>

Daniel 4:26

your kingdom will be assured to you after you recognize that it is Heaven that rules. (NAS95)=

=

Submission to God

The very real presence of God canno= t be experienced unless we enter by submission as coming before a King.

3. The Focus= of Prayer

Your name be honored as holy =

<= /p>
=

Reverence for God and a desire for Hi= m to be reverenced by others

      = Is it your personal passion to reverence God?

Is it your passion that others would know and reverence God as He deserves?

4. The Purpo= se of Prayer

      Your kingdom come. Your will be do= ne on earth as it is in heaven=

Alignment with God’s purposes: Advancing His kingdom

I us= ed to pray that God would do this or that.&nb= sp; Now I pray that God will make His will known to me. --Mme. Chiang Kai-Shek

5. The Neces= sity of Prayer

      Give us today our daily = bread

Dependence on God for all my needs

R= 20;Daily bread” in Jesus’ day was a euphemism for all daily needs.<= /o:p>

6. The Exami= nation of Prayer

      And forgive us our debts, as = we also have forgiven our debtors

      Am I forgiving and do I need <= u>forgiveness?

7. The Warfa= re of Prayer

And do not bring us into^{temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one}

      Confronting my spiritual battles and vulnerabilities

<= /span>

  &nbs= p;   Ephesians 6:18=

With all prayer and petition pray = at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, (NAS95)=

8. The Rest<= /u> of Prayer

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever

      Confidence in God’s sovereig= nty and in our eternal hope

The result of true praying is a sig= h of relief and a supernatural peace in the heart that surpasses all understandi= ng.

Conclusion&= nbsp;

So why do we fail to = obey the Lord and by failing to pray without ceasing?