- Acts 2:42: early church “devoted” themselves to prayer.
- Acts 6:4: leaders needed to dedicate time to prayer–listed before preaching
God’s part
- Grants repentance (2 Tim. 2:25)
- Draws people to Himself (John 6:44)
- Adds to the church’s number (Acts 2:47)
- Gives ears that hear and eyes that see (Prov. 20:12)
- Gives new hearts (Ezek. 36:26)
- Gives us the words (Luke 12:12; Eph. 6:19; Col. 4:4)
- Gives us the boldness (Acts 4:29)
- Opens up a door for the word (Col. 4:3)
- Causes the increase/growth (1 Cor. 3:6-7)
- Spares people from fiery judgment (Matt. 10:28)
- And everything else (Psalm 68:19; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3; etc.)
Our problem (and solution)
- Luke 11:5-8 – we are the bread-less friends: must plead
- Luke 18:1-8 – we are a widow without earthly help: must plead
Our hope (sampling from the Psalms)
- “I cried aloud to the LORD, and he answered me” (Psalm 3:4)
- “The LORD hears when I call to him” (Psalm 4:3)
- “The LORD has heard my plea; the LORD accepts my prayer” (Ps. 6:9)
- “From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears” (18:6)
- “[God] has heard, when he [the afflicted] cried to him” (22:24)
- “I sought the LORD, and he answered me” (34:4)
- “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him” (34:6)
- “If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.” (66:18-19)
Some conditions
- Zech. 10:1 – pray for rain during rainy season
- Dan. 9:1-2ff – pray for God’s promises to be realized
- Lk. 11:9-13; Jas. 4:2 – we get not because we ask not
- James 5 – healing comes when prayer is sought
- Matt. 6; Luke 11 – pray for God’s kingdom/will, daily bread, forgiveness, holiness
Prayer – 3 elements
- To God
- Against Satan (Mt. 6:13; Lk. 18:1-8)
- For people (Gen. 18:22-33; Lk. 11:5-8)
More
- Prayer frequently mixed with fasting (e.g. Matt. 6)
- Prayer frequently mixed with songs (e.g. 1 Cor. 14; Rev. 5)
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