The Importance of Prayer in the Life of the Believer: Purposeful Prayer

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God don't want to hear from you. Would you consider emailing me you can reach me at greg@harvest.org again that's Greg harvest.org and you can also make me one of your friends on Facebook and drop me a comment coming up to pressure Greg Laurie should show many times we approach career is of replacing an takeover order. I love you wife Jesus taught us this matter.

Pray our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done as it is in heaven. Give us as their breath and phone turned the key and you wonder will it starter won't hold any changes based on the some of us have the same feeling about the answer today on a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie is easy to follow some secrets that will help us all pray more effectively.

Part of this practical series. Every growing Christian needs to know their secrets once or just I mean if you think this book is a secret. Maybe there are if you've never open the user's manual of life, then I guess it's a secret, but the fact is God is proclaimed very clearly in Scripture how to have our prayers answered in the affirmative, he gives us principles to follow, probably the greatest example of that is a template he gave that we call the Lord's prayer and the Lord's prayer is not just a prayer to pray it as a template for prayer. It is a model for prayer again. Remember, Jesus gave this prayer and response to the request of his disciples as if you know what John taught his disciples to pray. Lord, teach us to pray, so he gave them this prayer and its Luke chapter 11 ever get to read verses one thought came to pass, as he was praying in a certain place when he sees one of his disciples said to him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples and he said to them when you pray, say, our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins, but we also forgive everyone it was sinned against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. So here we are.

Principle number one if you want your prayers answered in the affirmative. You must pray according to the will of God. If you want your prayers answered in the affirmative. In other words, if you want God to say yes to you when you pray, pray according to the will of God. Jesus modeled this for us when he taught us to pray our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done. Having said that, there also was a place in prayer for your personal needs because Jesus said, give us this day our daily bread that hears our problem hears our prayers usually go if we rewrote the Lord's prayer it would sound like this. Our father who art in heaven. Give us this day are to be prayer, like let's cut to the chase, showing like I going to a restaurant.

I like to order.

In fact, when I go to a restaurant.

I know what I want before their server even comes sometimes a company, what would you like to drink, but I would like to drink a glass of water, but I would also like to order this tonight my wife says I'm not ready yet. So okay sorry my wife read to them and you and I'll just say door you can order this. I'll just say which is no order.

She doesn't even hear me contemplating the many. Then after the server comes back and sometimes you know the gopher water and leave us for days were gone for days, then they return as usual water always is.

Quick question about the menu.

Can I substitute this for that and that for this, and changes in change that and those server will say let me go back and check in the kitchen. Note, go, go, go, go, and then they go there gone for two more days. I may come back.

Yes, we can change this so that and then my wife orders. The thing I said she was going to order at the beginning. I'm just like, let's get to it. Let's order Betsy and then I want to go to sleep that's pretty much it. My wife enjoys the meal I eat it like a dog with food and the distances set, but we can be this way with God are a lot� Get to it right on. Love you.

Amen. Here's what I need right.

But Jesus taught us this after this matter pray our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven now� There but see if I've contemplated the awesomeness of God and considered his will and purpose. And if I've already surrendered my will to him asking for his purpose above my own that could just have a little bit of an effect on what I know prefer personal equipment, not minister to see things a little differently. Just as I'm looking at God Phnom Penh to getting things in perspective. Maybe even as I started out in prayer. My need was so big and God was so small, but as I saw how big God is. I saw how my need was so small, comparatively big God. Small problem big problem small God. We just need to see who God is and his greatness then pray give me this day my daily bread so amazingly God wants to do this for us.

Here's another secret to answered prayer. You may not like this one. You must forgive others, you must forgive others in the model prayer. Jesus teaches us first for forgive everyone that is indebted to us of this word indebted means those that have sinned against us. Know your forgiveness is not hinging on your forgiving your forgiving sheepskin. John is gracious and generous forgiveness to you. In other words, Jesus aside saying you better be forgiving of someone or you will be forgiven. What is really saying is you been forgiven. So forgive because it was me forgiving to receive forgiveness. I'm almost establishing a works relationship with God like I have to do something to get something, the forgiveness that comes to me from Christ is based on his merit and not just that in his love for me, but if I know anything about what he's done for me by been forgiven. I should forgive others.

Listen to this forgiven people should be forgiving people, forgiven people should be forgiving people. If you're a person who holds grudges. If you're a person who keeps score if you're a person that can't let it go you to be a person that suffers in life limits. I sent most about yourself.

You're going to be a person is going to see your perlite come to a screeching halt.

So we have to learn how important it is to forgive when we pray because forgiveness is the key to all relationships are very healthy and strong and lasting effect. Jesus said in Matthew 523. When you're standing before the altar and the temple offering the sacrifice to God. You remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice going be reconciled with that person, then bring your gift to God. So right now let me ask you this. Are you harboring a grudge toward someone is okay I am. It's they deserve to have something harbored toward them because they did this to me. They said that about me okay let's just say for the sake of appointed honestly. A lot of the times we misunderstand you know sometimes we think people sets up about is that they actually didn't say. Sometimes we misunderstood something that someone did to say for the sake of appointment they said that thing they did that thing and now your payback is I'm not going to forgive up and up.

They walk in this church but I just give him the evil lie while in worship when we got it all wrong nose getting hurt. Then the evil lies are no new/they may not even know about your stupid Evaline peers is getting hurt you, not forgiving someone is like eating rat poison and hoping it kills the rat can kill you harboring resentment and not forgiving is going to hurt you more than the person you're harboring the resentment toward if you want to be healthy and vibrant. Spiritually, you have to forgive and know you will grade they don't deserve it. Okay. Do you do. I know we don't. But what is the Bible. See Ephesians 432 decline, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God for Christ's think this forgiven you pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of message in just a moment, everybody Greg Laurie here personally inviting you to join us for what we call Harvest at Home.

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We have seen thousands of people commitment to follow Christ. Join us this weekend harvest@home.o pastor Greg continues now with her studies on the secrets of affected prayer in his message the importance of prayer in the life of the believer number four if you want to have your prayers answered as much as possible. Stay out of the place of temptation, firstborn, only this into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Other words using Lord, don't let me be tempted above my capacity to resist know if you want to live in a temptation free world you have to actually leave this world and the problem is, even if you catch a ride on a spacecraft on your way to Mars it still good. Tempted you can escape. So here's what Jesus is teaching us don't put yourself unnecessarily in the way of temptation look. Life is hard enough, don't go out there and make it harder.

You know, we are vulnerable you know where your week you know where you could fall so keep your guard up. Lord lead me not into temptation but deliver me from the evil one. One final principal about having your prayers answered.

Don't give up. Don't give up. But in verse five. Now Jesus said which of you shall ever friend and go to him at midnight is a friend let me three loaves for a friend of mine is come in this journey, you have nothing to said forum then will answer from within the say don't probably for the doors not shut my children are with me in bed.

I can't rise and give it to you I say though he will not rise to give because he is his friend because of his persistence will rise and give him as many as he needs. Here's the big one. #.

So I say to you, ask and it shall be given, seek and you will find knock and it will be open to you, ask, seek, not don't give up about the words as seek and not indicate in the sending intensity.

Now let me explain.

This scene carries talk about some guy that wants food late at night. Basically in biblical times, you know, they would have a home they would live in and if you weren't really wealthy, you might only have one big room that everyone sleep said you're there. Your wife is there, your mom and dad at their your kids are there you you know uncle Harry's.

There and you know everybody's there big thing that a lot of people sleeping so you're all in this little room in some crazy guy comes knocking at your door like two in the morning.

I'm afraid you like go away were all asleep, but he keeps knocking the door.

So finally, just to get the gotta go away you give him some bread. That's a picture Jesus uses. So I think if you would do that for some guy because of his persistence, how much more will your father answer your prayer. Because here's the good news. God wants to answer your prayer but sometimes he won't do it as quickly as you would like because he wants to draw you out if he wants to teach you pay.

Thus Jesus says ask and it shall be given, seek and you will find knock and the door will be open the word as implies requesting assistance seek the notes asking, but adds the word action to it. Meaning involves effort and not means asking plus acting plus persevering reprieve or something.

One time doesn't happen is for the month for your prey more often you give me some friends to pray with you.

You don't get the answer fast forward six months now your calling out to God because maybe it's a prodigal son or daughter. Maybe it's a desperate situation. Maybe it's a medical situation. Whatever it is you're calling out to God. I believe if we want to see a spiritual awakening in America, we need to cry out to God, cry out for God-I know that you can be a casual Lord save the country, man. What's for lunch, but it's going to be one of those storm the gates of heaven. We are not giving up working to keep praying for a spiritual awakening in our nation keep asking, keep seeking keep knocking Jesus is calling us to passionate, persistent prayer, maybe our prayer is no power in it because there's no heart in it. So let's pray like never before. Only asking closing. Do you know how to pray and I think sometimes we say prayers we would teach us to our children see your prayers at night. Teach them a little prayer.

Sometimes there's prayers for food know for this meal that were about to receive. We truly give thanks God or my teacher taught a break. Okay, now let's pray before you go to sleep now in the me down to sleep I pray the Lord my soul to keep if I should die before I wake I pray the Lord my soul to take. How many of you do that prayer with your chat you do that don't don't do that printing mark this kind of aware prayer. I'm sorry. It just is that a good thing to say to a child key hunting in a put you to bed now pray this prayer, think about the print. Now I lay me down the sleep I pray the Lord my soul to keep queso maybe I could lose my soul don't keep it Lord keep the soul so I don't lose it while I sleep.

If I should die before I wake Diane my sleep tonight. I just pray the Lord my soul to take. Then we say good night sleep try. Don't let the bedbugs bite. So God doesn't take here so you don't die bed. The bedbugs I get to these are crazy things to say to kid stop don't teach them. Prayers teach them how to pray is a big difference in even as adults. Sometimes we are prayers will be no pray is my prayer little prayer my prewritten prayer I memorize this prayer. No pray. Prayer is communicating with God. You know it's possible to offer prayers and not be heard in heaven.

It's possible to pray the most beautiful eloquent prayer ever prayed, and I would not go any higher than the ceiling. God even says these people draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, why is it because sometimes were filled with sin.

Maybe it's unforgiveness.

Maybe it's a sin we've never confess. Maybe it's something else, but it is just like there's a barrier between us and God. Like we were in a phone call with God and our battery went dead are even worse. We hung up. We hung up, and if you want to reconnect with God again. You need to call back but you need to confess your sin as the Lord lives in and admit that sin you've committed, and God will forgive you and communication will be restored. You need to do that there might be some of you that I've always tried to pray, but you've never known the God driven frame to. That's the most important thing of all, God wants a relationship with you in prayer is an ongoing conversation that you can help with them all day and all afternoon and all night long the listener. This all lifelong in your young years. In your middle years in your older years.

This conversation with the Lord that one day you'll close your eyes awake up and you'll be there with them in person and carry you walk with them on earth and one day you walk with him in heaven. I love the story of Tina good says enough walk with God and was not for God took him. That just means an everyday unit would get up any take a walk with God and he did this for many years and then one day God says you know when the unit were closer to my house and yours want to come home with me and that's life is walk with God, day in and day out here in and year out, decade in a decade out. Then one day largest month were closer to my house, and you're with them. That's prayer, but you can't pray if you don't know the God that you're praying to. That's why Jesus died on the cross because he died to forgive you of all those sins that you and I have committed that separate us from him and about to turn from that sin and asked Jesus to be my Savior and Lord will come in the my life. Forgive me, in this relationship will begin.

Have you asked Christ to come in your life. Yet you know your sin is forgiven or is there something right now that's troubling you, something you've done, you know it's wrong.

That's causing great guilt great pain. Listen, let's not just deal with the symptom.

Let's get to the problem it sin you confess that sin you come into this relationship with God. I want to give you an opportunity as we close now in prayer to ask for his forgiveness and start this relationship with him. Maybe some of you have known the Lord at one time but you've allowed some send out work its way of your life and it's brought your prayer life to all you can confess that sin and God will forgive you. God says if you will confess your sin is faithful and just to forgive you your sin and cleanse you from all on righteousness.

What's up our heads. Father, I think you for everybody here.

Everybody listening everybody watching Piper for anyone know who may not yet know you.

I pray that you will help them to see their need for Jesus and help them become due. See here for Greg Lord important word of prayer. And if you know you need to make a change today in your relationship with the Lord. Pastor Greg will come back to help you do that in just a moment before today's addition of a new beginning.

Concludes now if you missed any part of what Pastor Greg taught us today. We can help you get caught up. Just listen again@ourwebsiteharvest.org or to get a copy of the message on CD. Call 1-800-821-3300 call anytime 1-800-821-3300 everybody.

Pastor Greg here in studio with my friend Darrell strawberry was just written a brand-new book called churn your season around, you know, one of the chapters in your book, Darrell discussed the importance of renewing your mind that with all the stress and anxiety and pressures of what were all facing right now we have thrown our nation into a mental health crisis.

So what happens when we take the focus off of God's word, especially in times of crisis, while I dictate what happens to people to get lost when I take the focus off of God's word of the word is this really what bring hope and joy, peace in the mist of the storm and if you understand that. I think the problem with most Christians is they don't understand Scriptures and when you start diving into the Scriptures and understand Scriptures and let the scriptures become a part of your everyday memory, then you have something to send me the foundation of who we are is is is description of the come out of the Bible and you're not sure I sent three new most people my people perish because of lack of knowledge there is no understanding of the word of God when so many are most we get scattered minded Nero in the mist of the storm. You know like were sitting in right now.

With everything going on in the nation. My focus this whole time the pandemic is been not only television not what's going on cell phone that is been am I still connected to God. Like stay connected to my everyday devotion to God that that's really what keeps me.

That's what really keeps me strong in the mist of all this Nero and just was going to transform your mind will instruct to her talk about it. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind and that is what you have to rely yourself on as is the word of God you know and I'm just one of those guys is this Pastor Greg, I just love to Scriptures about, meditate, known and loved living living off the Scriptures because it gives me the hope that the Bible has has taught me and I think your people can understand.

You need to reflect back to what you learn from the word of God and not what you hitting on television and what's being said, all social media that's very true you know it says in the book of Philippians, whatsoever things are true and lovely and of good report, if there is any virtue and these things anything praiseworthy think on these things and you know we need to consciously think about what the Bible says because our emotions can get the best of us.

Circumstances can overwhelm us. So we correct that with biblical thinking, thinking.

What Scripture teaches us to think reminding ourselves of things such as God is on the throne. God is in control of my life.

God can cause all things to work together for good to those that loved him and as I remember these things. I it sort of stabilizes me and can raise me above what I'm facing them so Darrell is written about this and a lot more in his new book called churn your season around how God transforms your life.

It was my privilege to write the forward for this new book by Darrell I know skinny impact you. I know you're gonna love it and I think this would be a really good book to give to a guy you know because Darrell's obviously a guys guy. He's a sports hero. He's the real deal, but he is very bold in his faith, and in it's all in the pages of this new book, so you might want to get a copy for your husband, or for your dad or for your son and let them read the story of Darrell strawberry and the lessons he is to share with the think of Darrell is that guy is going to coach you through the challenges you're facing. Using a lot of sports analogies but most important, filled with biblical truth you need to read turn your season around, and will send you a copy for free will not totally for free will send it for your gift of any size. And I mean that when I say that whatever you send will give you a copy. Some can only ascend a little. Some can send more but will get to this copy to start reading to share with someone who needs to read it yet. It's right and will send the book to you right away when you get in touch. Just mention the title. Turn your season around.

The subtitle is how God transforms your life and thank you for your donation.

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That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and enter those you like to make a change in their relationship with God right now pastor Greg would like to help them do that I would get I I receive so many letters day from people from every walk of life from successful businessmen to those who are incarcerated to mothers struggling is trying to raise their children to young Boys and Girls Club writing and saying they've made a commitment or recommitment to Jesus and maybe you need to make a commitment to him right now.

Let me lead you want a word of prayer.

Yes, you can meet God right now and I would just ask you to pray this prayer out loud after me and this is what you are asking Christ to come in your life.

Pray with me now if you would, Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner. I know that I've broken your commandments and I fallen short of your standards but I think you that you have loved me and you've called me of yourself so I turn for my sin right now and I choose to believe in and follow you be my Savior be my Lord and be my God from this moment forward. Thank you for calling me and loving me and accepting me in Jesus name I pray, amen. Hey let me just say God bless you. You've made the right decision and welcome to the family of God. Yet we want to follow up with you by sending something called our new believers growth packet to help you get started. Living as a Christian will send it without charge. If you prayed for the first time today to receive Christ.

Just ask for the new believers growth packet when you call 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call anytime 24 seven. Again, that's 1-800-821-3300 or write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or go online to harvest.org and click on know God. The next time pastor Greg takes us further into his message series, what every growing Christian needs to know to point out why we need the church.

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