Another reason I struggle to pray is, I forget all that Jesus has done. Looking at the power of Jesus stirs me up to pray. If you are having a hard time praying, try reading through this list one at a time or until one particular miracle catches your attention.
One reason I struggle to pray is I forget, or don’t think clearly, about my heavenly Father. Here is a list of God’s attributes compiled by the Navigators. You can read one a day to start your time with God. Or, you can read through the entire list until a particular truth stirs you to pray.
You can listen to this sermon here
Have you ever asked for something good and been given junk? Have you ever purchased something which was described as good but in reality it was bad? Maybe you paid someone to do a job, they promised to do a good job, and in the end you were stuck with a terrible job?
There are days coming (if they haven’t already come) when you will be tempted to think God has done a terrible job. You asked God for something good and he gave you junk. You are a good person. You live a good life. You even prayed about it but God didn’t deliver. In fact, you think God has done a terrible job. Now you don’t want to pray. Why pray? God isn’t listening and if he is he can’t be trusted.
When you begin thinking this way where should you turn? Turn to Luke chapter 11 and Jesus’ teaching on prayer. While it is important to know how to pray, it is more important to know the God to whom you pray. Disciples need to know how to pray but most importantly disciples need to know the God to whom they pray.
Read Luke 11:1-13
Notice first with me
The Jesus who commands us to make disciples is the Jesus who made disciples. Jesus is the power and pattern for our lives. So what do we see in this text? Verse 1, “Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’”
Jesus was showing them how a disciple lives by living as a disciple. There is a place for classroom style teaching. Jesus did that too. But before, after, and all around those focused times of teaching Jesus taught by example. What I’m saying is Jesus didn’t take them to a prayer seminar. Jesus prayed and they saw him praying. I wonder what it was like to see Jesus pray. However it looked, the disciples saw him praying and said, “Teach us to do that.”
Jesus lived out the command to “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Mt 5:16). But notice Jesus wasn’t show-boating. Jesus was doing his thing as the Son of God and others noticed and wanted to do it too.
There is a danger of praying to be seen and be praised by men. Jesus warned against it in Matthew 6. But that doesn’t seem to be our struggle. For many of us the struggle is one of hiding our prayer light under a basket so no one ever sees, no one ever asks, and we never make disciples.
What I’m saying is we need to pray with people. When people ask you to pray for them then do it right then and there. It may be over time someone asks you, “Will you teach me to pray like you?” Living faithfully as a disciple often leads to opportunities to make disciples.
Let’s turn our attention now to the structure of prayer. How should we pray and how should we teach others to pray?
Notice first off
Muslims believe there is power in the simple speaking of scripture. Christians do not. This belief in the speaking of the Koran is what leads Muslims to learn how to pronounce the Arabic words but not necessarily know what the words mean. To the Muslim the meaning doesn’t matter. The words themselves are what matters. This is not the biblical understanding of prayer.
We know prayer is about more than saying the right words because the two accounts of the Lord’s Prayer are so different. Compare Matthew 6:6-14 with Luke 11:2-4. You’ll find some differences. Why? The disciples understood Jesus wasn’t teaching a prayer to be repeated verbatim. Jesus was laying down a structure for prayer.
Here is the basic structure for prayer: Prayer is first about God then prayer is second about you.
Luke 11:2, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.” When you are praying start with God. We are asking God to make his name great. Now we aren’t asking for God to make his name great because his name is lame. We are asking God to make his name great because we do not see it as great.
I am an individual who is not sold out on the greatness of God. I am part of a family who treasures so many other things alongside and over God. I am a part of a church made up of sinners who doubt the goodness of God. I live in a community infatuated with shallow things. Father, show us your glory.
Another way of saying start with God is start with worship. Read your bible looking for something praiseworthy about God. Once you find it mull it over. Meditate on this great thing about God. When you see the greatness of God ask for more of it.
Pray, “Your kingdom come.” In this we are praying for Jesus to return but we are also praying for the kingdom to expand and grow until Jesus returns. We’re asking God to rule in our anxious lust filled hearts. We’re asking God to show up and change our families. We’re pleading with God to change our communities. Your kingdom come. Don’t dive off into your needs and wants. Healthy biblical prayer starts with God. Prayer is first about God then
The reason prayer is first about God and second about us is because we are tempted to turn God into our errand boy. The prayer list way of praying is dangerous because it can easily make praying about me instead of about God. I don’t exist for God and his purposes, God exists for me and my purposes so let me get to telling him what to do. Starting with worship gets your heart in the right place and often quiets your mind. Then you are ready to ask.
Jesus instructs us to pray for the physical needs of the day. Verse 3, “give us this day our daily bread.” In many cultures this is the exact prayer of God’s people. My family and my church family do not have any food. Crops have been washed away by floods or withered away by drought. There are no opportunities to work. Give us this day our daily bread.
Often in our culture the prayer “give us this day or daily bread” has more to do with doing our jobs well. I believe it was Calvin that said we should be praying for just and fair markets so that good work is answered with a fair wage. Give us this day our daily bread is praying for a job, it is praying for the ability to do the job, and it is praying for customers who will support the work and pay for the groceries.
If you are on social security you realize how praying, “give us this day our daily bread” can easily lead to praying for our government to be wise and faithful in it’s dealings. When I pray “give us this day our daily bread” I’m praying that God will stir your hearts to give generous offerings. We could go on about praying for relational needs and health needs. They would fit in this physical needs category.
Next, Jesus instructs us to pray for the spiritual needs of the day. Verse 4, “forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.” God we have doubted your goodness and your ability to provide our daily needs. Please forgive us our sins. Instead of giving others what they need we have wasted time and money on selfishness. Forgive us our sins.
This type of prayer is infused with grace. I am a person who wrongs God and I am a person who is wronged by others. Strengthen me to forgive others and strengthen me to live a faithful life. Church, especially here let me remind you of the need to start with God in prayer. When you start with God’s holiness and graciousness it leads to repentance toward God and graciousness towards others. But if you start with yourself then prayer becomes a gripping session about how hard your life is. Basically prayer becomes your way to telling God he is doing a terrible job. Starting with God’s mercy and kindness leads another direction.
Also, starting with God infuses your prayers with peace. You have these great struggles against sin. You have these great difficulties with your spouse, your children, your coworkers, and others. How are you going to make it? Well, you have already been rehearsing the faithfulness of God and the greatness of God. Celebrating who God is and what God has done is supposed to produce peace.
This is why Paul tells us, “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say; Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:4-7).
That is the basic structure of prayer. And notice Jesus doesn’t stop there. He goes on to tell a parable because he understands it is not enough just to tell us to pray. We need to know the God to whom we pray.
Look back at verses 5-8
Jesus calls the neighbor “friend” three times in these verses. But notice why the “friend” finally gives over the dough, verse 8, “I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.” The neighbor gives what was asked because the one asking was rude and annoying. Like the unjust Judge of Luke 18 there is no hint of a relationship here. There is no friendship, love, or concern for the other. Like a troll, he simply wants the nuisance to go away. Jesus is making the point that God is not a troll. So what is he then?
He is not a reluctant giver telling us no until we beat him down. God is a cheerful giver. Look with me at verses 9-10.
Ask for three loaves and God will give it. Seek his help and he will give it. Knock on his door at midnight and he’ll open it up and welcome you in. Verse 10 is a wonderful verse encouraging us to pray, “For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” God is not a neighbor-troll he is a cheerful giver. Ask Him. Let’s continue with verses 11-13.
The basic understanding of these verses is God doesn’t give junk. If earthly dads with all their hang-ups and sin issues are able to give good gifts how much more is your heavenly father able to give good gifts?
Okay now let’s get honest because when we are honest with the text and honest with ourselves we gain the greatest good. There are situations in your life where you think or once thought that God has gypped you. You prayed for something, we’ll call it a fish, but God gave you a serpent. You asked for God’s help and things grew worse! So you tried again. You asked for an egg and this time God gave you a scorpion! What in the world!?!
Remember, Jesus wants you to know how to pray. Start with God in worship and then bring him your requests. When you are out of food, when you have sinned, or when you have been sinned against talk to God about your needs. He’s not a reluctant troll. God is a cheerful good gift giver. So what should we do? We should ask our heavenly good gift Giver, our loving compassionate Father, for the Holy Spirit. Here is why.
We’re going to do some helpful practical theology here. Sin has effected everything including our desires and our ability to interpret our circumstances. Because of sin we are more likely to doubt the goodness of God than trust that God is good. This means we want the wrong things, we misinterpret our circumstances, and we turn away from God. For these reasons and more Jesus tells us to ask for the Holy Spirit. Here’s why you need to ask for the Spirit
Romans 8:14 states it plainly, “all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” True believers are characterized by Spirit led repentance of sin and growth in godliness. By the Spirit Christians put to death the deeds of the flesh. So if the Spirit is not leading you then you are following someone other than God proving you are not a child of God.
Test #1 Does the Spirit lead you to hate your sin and trust Christ for faithful living?
Now this is really scary because it means you submit your past failures and your future plans to God. Remember we’re talking specifically about when you asked God for a fish and he gave you a serpent or when you asked God for an egg and he gave you a scorpion. Should I trust God? Yes, you should ask for the Spirit. Why?
When God doesn’t give us what we want we are tempted to think God doesn’t love us. Because if God loved me He’d give me what I want. Let’s continue in Romans 8:15, “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”
Since sin has defiled to the core of who you are as a person, when the Spirit leads you to put those sins to death it is going to be very personal and often very painful. You thought God was going to do wonderful things in your life and here he is doing painful things in your life. It’s scary. You want to draw back in fear. You want to turn back. You need the assurance of the Holy Spirit.
In times of struggling prayer we need the Spirit to bear witness to our spirits that we are in fact children of God. We need the Spirit to press us on toward loving trust because we want to draw back in fear. We are tempted to curse God as a tyrant we need the Spirit to assure us that God is good and we are loved.
Test # 2 Does the Spirit bring you comfort when life is hard?
Again, this is why prayer must start with God. We need to be reminded that suffering with God for righteousness and suffering with God because of our sinfulness is part of what it means to be an heir of Christ. To put it another way, you don’t need the Holy Spirit to bear witness to your spirit if God is going to give you everything you ask for. You need the Holy Spirit to bear witness with your spirit because God is not going to give you everything you ask for. Friend, you are going to suffer. Ask for the Holy Spirit.
And there is more. We still need more of the Spirit.
Romans 8:26-28 say, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Test # 3 Does the Spirit comfort you when you pray because He’s got this?
When we are stunned by suffering or shocked by unanswered prayers what are we to do? Rest in the presence of God knowing that the Spirit inside of us is praying deeply and powerfully according to the will of God. We can trust and rest in difficulty because the Spirit is at work. This is going to work out for our good because the Spirit is at work in us leading, assuring, and praying. This is going to work out for our good because the Father and the Son and the Spirit are conspiring together for our good.
To summarize
The wisdom of the Spirit is not the simple theological truth that what my Father gives is good. The wisdom of the Spirit goes deeper leading us to trust that what the Father gives is good. The wisdom of the Spirit goes deeper assuring us that the Father is after our good. The wisdom of the Spirit goes deeper protecting us with his powerful prayers. So when Jesus tells us to ask for the Spirit he is inviting us to ask for the help and correction and assurance we all need.
Test #4 Do you feel your need for the Holy Spirit?
Now you’ve been given some instruction concerning the structure of prayer and the God to whom we pray. There is nothing left to do but to do it. Let’s pray to the Father, through the Son, and by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Main Point: Pray because you are paralyzed and God is your provider.
Have you ever thought of all the things you can do with a lamp if you don’t plug it in? Plugging a lamp in really limits it right? You are tied down by that cord. Think of all the useful things a lamp can be used for if disconnect from the power supply. You can use it to dry your socks. You could put your rabbit ear TV antennae on top of it for better reception. You could walk around with it and use it like a pretend microphone and do interviews. The possibilities are endless. But if you want to use the lamp as it was intended to be used you have to plug it in. If you want the greatest benefit and the most fruitfulness from its design that lamp needs a power supply.
You and I are just like that lamp. In order to do the greatest good, in order to do what God made you to do, you have to be plugged in to the power supply. My goal today is to convince you that the power you need to faithfully navigate every situation is found in Christ through prayer. The power you need to be joyful and fruitful in every relationship is found in Christ through prayer. You see, the reason you and I are fearful is because we are not connected to Christ. The reason we are frustrated with ourselves and the people around us is we are not connected to Christ. We simply aren’t praying with dependent faith and we are not following the Spirit’s lead with dependent faith. We are doing our own thing in our own strength and that is terribly frustrating.
The good news is everything we need for life and godliness has already been given to us in Christ Jesus. I want to convince you through God’s word that God has graciously given you the ability to pray and walk in that power.
Read Hebrews 4:14-16
I. We pray because we are paralyzed (John 15:5)
Jesus said in John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he is it who bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
You can do nothing. You are paralyzed. You’re a lamp with no power supply. Now what does mean, “you can do nothing”? Does it mean you can’t give a blanket to someone in need or volunteer at a soup kitchen? Does it mean you can’t defend the unborn or lobby for more just legislation? Does it mean you can’t love your family or paint a beautiful painting?
I believe Jesus is reminding us that the spiritual dynamic of all we are and all we do is just as important as the physical. Our hearts are just as important as our hands. We were created to trust God and make him known through all we do. Through robust spiritual things like singing and preaching we are to depend on Christ to make God’s glory known. We want the benefit of our own souls and the benefit of others. Yet things like plowing a field, balancing a check book, teaching a child to read, or caring for the elderly can equally be counted as worship. What you do Monday through Saturday is to be as spiritual as what you do on Sunday mornings. We were not made to just do meaningless things until Sunday rolls around. We were made to reflect the glory of God in all we do. We were made to enjoy the presence of God as we do all things.
Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” True life is the whole person fully engaged in her work for the glory God. Life is lived to the glory of God plugged into the power supply of Christ.
But sin has thoroughly ruined the spiritual capacity to know and gladly depend on Christ. Sin fuels a prideful, I can do it myself, attitude. Each of us is a lamp that refuses to plug in. So it is the Holy Spirit who convinces us that we are paralyzed and God is powerful. Without Jesus we can do nothing. With him all things are possible. Believe this truth
Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in a time of need.”
The context of our passage in Hebrews 4 is one of temptation. God calls you to listen to his voice and obey him. He promises rest and provision. He will provide what you need. So what are you going to do? Will you listen to God or listen to the excuses of the flesh? Will you seek what God promises or will you trade His good things for the empty lies of the world?
Here in verse 16 we are encouraged to draw near to God in order to gain his help in a time of need. Knowing we are paralyzed we deliberately depend on God for the ability to follow God. We plug in. Prayer is the conscious decision to cry out to Jesus asking for his help to say no to temptation and live a righteous life. Prayer is acting on the fact that Jesus bore our sins in his body on the tree so that we might die to sin and live a righteous life (1 Peter 2:24-25).
Romans 14:23 says, “whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” Whatever you do which is not done in dependence on Christ is done in dependence on yourself. Whatever you do which is not done heartily as unto the Lord is done unto man. Whatever you do which is not for the glory of God falls short of his plan. We need help but not just to get this worship gathering right. We need help to get every square inch of life right, every desire and deed. Humble people pray.
A paralyzed person will either grow bitter or actively seek the help of another. The way we find God’s power in our weaknesses is through faith-filled humble prayer.
When faced with temptation we consciously cry out for Christ’s help and we actively seek to trust his leadership. When torn between listening to God or listening to our sinful flesh we pray for Jesus to lead us and we consciously choose to return to our Shepherd and follow his lead. We ask for help and we act upon his promise of help.
It looks like a wife humbling confessing her inability to submit to that man. It looks like the husband confessing his inability to love his wife like Christ loves the church and then by faith striving to love and serve her. You don’t wait for love you start serving. It looks like the child confessing her inability to honor her father and mother and then by faith trusting Christ to give her joy as she submits. It looks like the church member confessing his inability to genuinely delight in those crazy people and then actively seeking ways to build them up. Pray for help then get in the game.
If you know your inability you will pray. But if you think you have it under control you will attempt life on your own strength according to your own wisdom and you’ll fall on your face. God exalts the humble. He enables the humble but he tears down the proud. We pray because we are paralyzed.
II. We pray because He is the provider (Hebrews 4:14-16)
We pray because we are convinced God will do what he has promised. You will pray to the extent you are sure God is good and God is good to you. Here’s the point.
Knowledge about God doesn’t fuel prayer. Experiential real-time real-life knowledge of God fuels prayer. The more trustworthy you find God to be the more you will trust him. So devote yourself to knowing God and your prayers will increase. Read your bible in order to know God and understand how he interacts with his people. When you know him and trust him you will pray to him. Let me give you some passages which demonstrate and encourage this type of knowing and trusting.
1. John 4:10, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
Jesus told the woman at the well, “if you knew me you would ask me to provide for your needs and I would provide. The reason you don’t ask is because you don’t know.” The same is true for us. Seek to know Jesus and you will find him trustworthy.
2. Jeremiah 2:12-13, “Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate declares the Lord, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.”
God is a constantly overflowing fountain. By giving himself to us he gives us all that we need. But each of us exchanges this gloriously full fountain for a bucket with the bottom rusted out. We keep drawing water and we keep drawing water but we’re thirsty. These buckets can’t hold water so they can’t satisfy the longings of our hearts. We draw with greater tenacity and end up tired and thirsty. We neglect God and we fill our days with stuff only to find ourselves frustrated. Bottom line: we don’t pray because we are prideful and busy doing life without God.
Trust the overflowing fountain. Go boldly into his presence and receive mercy and find grace in a time of need.
3. James 1:5-8, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
If you doubt God’s ability you won’t act on his promises. You can’t hedge your bets with God. There is no “plan B”. You trust God. You pray and you act on his leadership.
4. 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful. And he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
If you know God is faithful you will continually look for the way of escape. If you don’t know God you will convince yourself you have no other option but to give in to temptation. Knowing God fuels a spiritual endurance in the face of great temptation. You will look to Jesus and receive mercy and find grace to help in a time of need.
5. Luke 11:9-13, Jesus said, “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
When you are convinced that God is good and does good you will keep trusting him to provide what is good. You keep asking him to give you the mercy and help you need. Jesus makes it explicit that the mercy and help we need is delivered through the person of the Holy Spirit. In the face of temptation you cry out to the Father through faith in the Son to work the fruit of the Spirit in you.
Prayer is fueled by a biblical experiential knowledge of God. Hebrews 4 gives us some specifics about our Jesus which encourage us to pray.
God is holy and his word slices through the lies and excuses we try to sell him. God is not buying our excuses and he has promised to hold us accountable for all that we have done. We need help.
Look back at Hebrews 4:14, “Since then we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.”
The author of Hebrews is drawing on his readers’ understanding of the Old Covenant priesthood. After explaining the different items in the tabernacle listen to this explanation of the excellence of Jesus our high priest compared to Old Covenant priests.
Read Hebrews 9:6-14
Jesus offered the final sin-atoning sacrifice in the presence of the holy God. He has passed through the heavens into the Father’s presence. Jesus doesn’t offer a temporary fix in a temporary temple. Jesus offered himself in the presence of God. He has secured an eternal redemption. He reconciles us to the powerful providing God. He purifies us making our consciences clean. He empowers us to live a righteous life and serve the living God. The priests of the Old Covenant could never do that.
We have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens. He lived a righteous life, died an atoning death, rose victorious from the grave, and ascended to his seat of honor at the Father’s right hand there he prays for us. Our confession is the confession of forgiveness of sins through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Our confession is that Jesus provides our needs and will help us. We don’t back down from faith in the face of temptation. We hold fast to Christ our all sufficient savior. Jesus is the Great High Priest; the one who cares for us and has sacrificed himself for us. He is trustworthy.
Verse 15, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
Here’s what that means
1. Jesus knows what it’s like
You should pray to Jesus when faced with temptation because Jesus knows what it’s like to face that temptation. He’s not some distant God who pretends to understand the pressure. He is the God-Man who has felt the pressure. He knows what it’s like to battle the temptation you face. But more than that
2. He knows how to win
The Houston Texans have announced they are looking for a new head coach. One of the things they are looking for is a winner. You want a coach who knows how to win. Now get this: Jesus not only knows how to win, he doesn’t know how to lose. He was tempted in every way like we are yet he is without sin. Why should you pray to Jesus when tempted? He knows how to win.
Jesus is your great high priest who provides the wisdom to defeat sin, the power to defeat sin, and forgiveness when you sin. Jesus is the Great High Priest. Pray to him.
In verse 16 we hear this good news, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
As your high priest Jesus exists to bring you into God’s presence. As your atoning sacrifice Jesus purifies you so you can enter into God’s presence. Hold fast to the gospel and draw near to God.
Now, we aren’t being encouraged to draw near to a big chair that is gracious we are being encouraged to draw near to the sovereign God who because of Jesus is gracious to us. Draw near to God in prayer. Draw near to God for the purpose of gaining the help you need to defeat temptation.
Notice how we are to draw near, verse 16, draw near with confidence, draw near with boldness. Does that mean we should swagger up to God and demand God’s help the way a gun slinger marches up to the bar and demands a drink? No, we’re like the kindergarten boy who day in and day out has been beaten up by the bullies on the playground. But today he has confidence because his big brother, the all-state middle linebacker, is with him. That kindergartener has no confidence in himself. His confidence is in his big brother.
We have confidence to enter God’s presence and ask God for help because of big brother. Jesus is our means to help. Jesus provides our access to the throne of grace and from that throne of grace flows mercy and help.
I encourage you to pray to God because he is compassionate towards you. He is merciful toward you. He knows your situation and he knows your frame (Ps 103:13-14). He knows you are weak so he invites you to come to him and gain his help.
Jesus can help. Jesus understands. Jesus is your Great High Priest who gives you access to the glorious throne of grace.
III. You are paralyzed and He is provider therefore pray
The main reason Christians pray is because we are convinced of our own inability and God’s ability. The main reason Christians don’t pray is we are convinced of our own ability and God’s inability. It is our pride which keeps us from praying while humility and faith lead us to pray without ceasing.
Some of us today may need to confess the sin of faithless self-sufficiency; a lack of trust in God. You are free to get on your face before God and cry out for his mercy and grace to help you overcome your pride.
Some of us today may need fresh encouragement. You need the reminder of your great High Priest who is there and is here for you. He will provide the mercy and grace to help in your time of need. He is there as you face temptation. He knows how to overcome. He will show you the way.
Some of you need to be saved. Your lack of humble prayer has shown you that you are not a Christian. And the Spirit is convicting you that you need to repent of your sins, put your faith in Jesus Christ, and be saved.
Today, if you hear his voice, if he shows you the way of escape, do not harden your heart against him. Trust him. Follow the good Shepherd. Keep listening. Keep trusting. Keep praying.
In Ephesians 3 we find one of the great New Testament prayers and its prayer about God’s love. In verses 14-19 Paul prays for Christians to be strengthened by the Spirit so that Christians may be able to comprehend and experience the infinite love of Christ. Remember, the love of Christ is so great and powerful you cannot handle it. If God just poured his love in you it would bust you wide open. Imagine you are a water balloon that has been attached to a fire hydrant. If God just walked up and spun the valve open you would explode. The love of Christ is so great and mysteries you have to have the Spirit in order to comprehend it and experience it. So, Paul prays the church will be better able to understand and experience the love of Christ and so be filled with the fullness of God.
Paul then writes, “to God be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” God’s plan is to glorify himself by sending out dearly loved saints who will love others. God is glorified as you and I love one another like Jesus loves each one of us.
As we prepare to gather as the church tomorrow let us be found praying. Pray for your brothers and sisters to be strengthened by the Spirit in order to understand and experience the great love of Christ.
By and For the gospel 