What Every Christian Needs to Know About Prayer: Praying to Be More Like Christ

You're listening to a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God. Visit our website and learn more about harvest partners@harvest.org. Evernote is using is no glory to see your problems with a different way. George Burton was concerned about those same problems. What your perspective changes today on a new beginning for Greg Maurice's too often we wallow in our feelings of health reassurance of God is just a prayer away. You need to see God for who he is.

So just think of the awesomeness of God, the power of God. Things like compassion, generosity and grace are here for just the opposite were navy, self-centered is easy to see how we need God. But how can we bring all that he is.

We have today on a new beginning for Greg Laurie points out a pathway of prayer part of an important series on the basis of his want to know what it takes to be as strong person you was to furlough so turn in your Bibles to Ephesians 6 and Luke chapter 11. Both of those chapters. Ephesians 6 Luke chapter 11 know what is prayer.

Prayer is communicating with and listening to God. Prayer is communicating with and listening to God. Ephesians 618 tells us that there are different kinds of prayer up so I had to turn their it says, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the sensors different kinds of prayer you can pray publicly. You can pray privately.

You can pray verbally. You can pray silently, you can pray. Kneeling, you can pray standing. You can pray lying down and you can even pray driving but the main thing is to pray, as Ephesians 6 is praying always and by the way the word all speaks of the frequency of prayer, the frequency of it so that you just do your token prayer in the morning and you're good to go do your praying throughout the day your praying in the morning your praying in the afternoon. Your praying in the evening love for the needs of the Bible says the Georgia pray without ceasing, for this is the will of God in Jesus Christ concerning you, so why should I pray you're taking notes here's up to write down why should I pray simple answer because Jesus told me to, I could stop right there. Jesus said in Luke 18. One man ought always to pray and not give up all the way. Jesus himself was a man of prayer. He loved us a model to follow. He was constantly praying in the garden of Gethsemane Jesus is praying, calling on the father saying if it is possible, let this cup pass from me on the cross, Jesus is praying first father forgive them for they know not what they do and then later, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me.

So if Jesus felt the need to pray.

Certainly, you and I need to pray number two. Prayer is God's way appointed way for obtaining things because I'm told over and James were do you have not because you us, that's very interesting. Present you have not because you us to know I'm not suggesting that whatever you pray you will always know the will of God or whatever you pray you will always have more money than you need or whatever you pray you will always be imperfect.

Tell because our terms and God will allow difficulties in our life to cause us to trust in him all the more. My point is, there are times when the reason we don't have a we need in life is simply because we have not asked the Lord about it so we should pray. Okay, here's another one. Prayer is the way by which God helps us to overcome our anxiety and worry. Here's a good verse that every believer should memorize Philippians 46. Don't worry about anything but pray about everything. Let your requests be made known under God and the peace of God that passes all human understanding, will keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus prayer is the way also that we make ourselves ready for the return of Jesus Christ. Luke 2134 Jesus is to keep yourselves. Let your hearts be weighed down with carousing drunkenness and the cares of this life and that day come upon you unexpectedly is referring to the day of the Lord. Watch therefore, and pray always so you can see, prayer is not an option for a believer if you want God to speak to you if you want God to provide for you if you want God to help you. Do not worry if you want to be ready for the return of Jesus. You need to pray. There are times when God does not answer our prayers. The way that we would like will even say God doesn't answer my prayers. When the second nose as much of an answer is yes.

It why don't you just say you don't like the answer, here's a way to look at it.

If the request is wrong, God says no. If the timing is wrong, God says slow. If you are wrong, God says, grow, but if the request is right in the timing is right and you are right, God says go one here that again no okay so how can we have our prayers answered more often in the affirmative. Here more yeses instead of nose that brings us to Luke chapter 11 and will go to read a few verses that give to us what we often refer to as the Lord's prayer.

Just a word about this before we read it. The Bible never calls this the Lord's prayer will call it that because that's how we remember it. This was an answer of Jesus to the request of his disciples when they said, Lord, teach us to pray they didn't say Lord, teach us a prayer lesson Lord teaches a killer prayer you want to pull out in case of an emergency. The mega prayer, though I don't think there's anything wrong with praying the Lord's prayer verbatim. It's a beautiful prayer and never comes from your heart. It's a powerful prayer but it wasn't just a prayer.

It was a template for prayer. It's a model for prayer. They said, Lord, teach us to pray and then of course he begins with the words, after this manner therefore you should pray so he was saying don't just pray this prayer but follow this pattern in your prayer as well. So with that mind, let's read Luke 11 verse one stuck in the past. He was praying in a certain place when he sees one of his disciples the Lord teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples and he said when you pray, say, our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth doesn't is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread and forgive us our sins, for we forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. I went to the notice up before a word of personal petition is offered.

I must consider who I am speaking to. It starts with our father who art in heaven.

Too often we cut to the chase and by that I mean we go straight to the grocery list okay Lord. Here's what I need from you.

There's nothing wrong with that.

There's a place for that, but it's not necessarily the first thing we should pray for. I begin my prayer with worship, adoration, and then acceptance of his will by the way, when we worship you know what were doing were praying. That's prayer it's prayer is set to song that's all it is. It's prayer with Melody, so I think to come in late one. Worship is going on. Why would you want to do that. I mean, not to mention the fact that we have a killer worship and I mean that's kind of the understatement of the century. But more than that. More than that because of just say they were really lousy. Okay still there leading us upriver. They happen to be really good, but the point is, are leading this in person at the song so will we sing these songs.

I'm praying and then we bow our heads and we might bring petitions before the Lord, and so forth.

But the point is, is I'm contemplating the greatness of God.

Have you ever noticed that when you see God in his power and his glory. You see your problems in a different way.

Maybe you coming to church burden with things are concerned about their real concern and you go out with those same problems, but your perspective changes because when you have a big God, you will see that you have small problems but if you have big problems. You have a small got maybe you need to see God for who we is so Jesus says after this manner therefore pray our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name.

So just think of the awesomeness of God, the power of God your great glory will have the second half of this message just a moment, everybody Greg Laurie here.

You know my uncle Fred Jordan that one of the first Christian TV programs out there. It was called church in the home. I remember watching it as a little boy when I was living with my grandparents we have church in the home for you every weekend is called harvest@homeinvitedtoharvest.org we have worship in a message of God's word.

So join us this weekend for harvested home harvest.investigating the power of prayer today and Pastor Greg now brings this impractical counsel on making our prayers more effective.

Let's listen and that brings me to principle number one if you want your prayer answered in the affirmative, pray according to the will of God. If you want your prayer answered in the affirmative, pray according to the will of God. Jesus teaches us to pray by kingdom come, thy will be done again, our Lord bobbled us in Gethsemane. Remember what he said to the father father if it's possible let this cup pass from me.

Nevertheless, not my will, but what yours be done. So he was saying all right. Father as I contemplate the wars of the cross and taking the sin of the world upon myself. If there's any other way to do this let's do that. Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done. And so it's a submission to the will of God. Listen, the primary objective of prayer is to line my will up with God's will. Prayer does not change God's mind. Prayer changes my mind. Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance it's taking hold of his willingness by my praying I'm instructing myself more than him. The object of our prayer is not getting my will. And heaven is getting God's will on earth you get illustrated this with your note little boat and you're trying to get to the dock to get to cut the rope you throw it and you pull yourself down. Are you pulling the dock to your boat or are you pulling your boat to the block.

We are pulling your boat to the dock that your prayer is I'm not grabbing all the drugs in Vermont drug addicted know I'm pulling myself toward him. The objective is to get in alignment with God's will because I'm told, over in the book of first John 514. Here's a confidence I have in him of ask anything according to his will he hears us.

And we have the petitions desired of him. Listen, nothing lies outside of the reach of prayer, except that which lies outside of the will of God. So what is God's will.

Here's an amazing promise from Jesus.

He says if you abide in me and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you. I here's an expanded translation from the Greek Jesus speaking. If you maintain a living communion with me and my words are at home with you.

I commend you to ask at one for yourself.

Whatever your heart desires and it's yours now we hear statement like that.

We think of a genie in a lap yes whenever I want. Yeah, whatever you want. God will give you carte blanche really yeah whatever you want as good you will and it shall be done unto you. The dome is the first part. It's a conditional promise. What's the condition Jesus is if you maintain a living communion with me and my word is at home in you. Guess what if I maintaining a living communion with God and his word is at home with me. I'm not going to pray for stupid stuff. I'm just not going to a minister, praying, crazy prayers like I want you glorify through this Lord prayers like I want your will, even more than my will, though it may be more difficult. Lord you see begin to understand that your father knows better than you know.

So start your prayers with an awareness of the awesomeness of God our father who art in heaven how would be your name, your objective is to get your will aligned with God.

Number two, when I bring my petitions before God.

This is something that I do after I've acknowledge the greatness of God.

Jesus says okay no pray. Give us this day our daily bread to find it an amazing thing that this all-knowing, all-powerful, omnipresent God created the entire universe has an interest in you and me personally. The Bible says he does. God concerned with the things that concern me. Why would he care about my daily bread. I don't know, Job even as Job 717. What is man that you make so much of him. Why do you give them so much attention. There's a simple answer why does God care because he loves you.

Why does he love you. That's a good question, but it us. He does, he loves you with an ever lasting love. In fact, Jesus said for not little flock at your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom to another.

God loves to give stuff to his children may be an easier way to understand it is thinking of God as a grandfather instead of a father. I know it's addresses father in heaven.

But you know when your parents you know you're you're careful with your kids right in order to give you that know you have to do your chores first in order to do this and you have to do that when he was to grandfather. I get a free right now.

Yes it's kind of our privileges grandparents a spoiler grandchildren to the way we look at this is grandparents, is this is our reward for putting up with you as our children and this is your punishment for all the things you did to us, but there's just love it desire to just bless your kids and I'm not same. Somehow this clearly they do, but this is the picture. God loves to do these things for us is not reluctant to do it very Jesus said you parents of your children as rollover bread to give them a stone.

If they ask for a fish to give them a snake. Of course not if you give good gifts to your children despite the fact that your sinful people.

How much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those that ask your little toddler comes up mummy and hungry. Can I have the piece of bread.

Here's a rock. Can I have a need for breakfast, I would. Here's a light venomous snake you would never do that but sure either that we would be the do that but you wouldn't to the father loves to bless us.

Here's another secret answer prayers is really important.

You must confess your personal sin.

Jesus teaches us to pray, forgive us our sins as we forgive those that sin against us his word sin could be translated, trespasses shortcomings, things that we've done that are wrong notices that some I should do on a regular basis after this manner therefore pray our father 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 as we forgive those who sin against us just what you sin every day. Now maybe you look back in the states think I think you're on the back right. I don't think I send today you just said. It's called pry Noah. Seriously, there are sins of commission and omission right sin of commission is doing what you should not do a sin of omission is not doing what you should do so, you might be priding yourself in the fact that you did not have a lustful thoughts today and you didn't lose your temper today and and you didn't scream in anybody today, but then at the same time you are so proud of how well you did. You thought I better than anybody around here and in reality that very arrogance is a sin or maybe the Lord lead you to share your faith with someone and you flat out said no God told you to pray about something and you said no there's a lot of things that really are sins in our life. So the best thing to do is just everyday say Lord forgive me of my sin known and on known. The Bible says in first John, if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. Paul wrote in Philippians 3 I don't mean to say have already achieved these things.

Why reach perfection, dear friends, I'm still not all that I should be, but I'm focusing my energies on this one thing forgetting what's behind me. Looking forward to what lies ahead if you don't see the need for regular repentance than you are not really walking with God because I have found the greater the St., the greater is the sense of sin and the awareness of sin within listen of this, if you have unconfessed sin in your life. Your prayers aren't going anywhere. I mean, you can pray piously. You can pray loudly. You can pray impressively, but if you have a sin in your life. You've got confess before God. Your prayer life going to come to a screeching halt because Osama said if I regard iniquity in my heart. The Lord will not hear me. The word regard means Klingon to, or hold onto.

So maybe there's something your life in the Lord's mincing you that's a sin and you need to stop using the stop, but I prefer this right now Lord St. sorry can't hear you now technically he's yours you but he's not gonna respond to their prayer because it will fall disobedience. There needs to be that confession.

Forgive me my sins. I forgive those of sin against me ordinance. I today from Pastor Greg Laurie by way of his message. What every Christian needs to know about prayer is from his practical essential series and there's more to come from the study here on a new beginning for an instant replay of any part of today's message sure all of the presentation go to harvest.org look for the title what every Christian needs to know about prayer. Yesterday we've all been through a whole lot these last 18 months or so. It's been just a terrible time for culture and obviously it's not just adults that have been affected.

Kids have been affected to yes how can we speak truth and comfort for small children directly from the truth of Scripture have any suggestions force yes I do and I do think children have suffered so that's where you commit because ultimately the primary responsibility of educating your child spiritually rests on the shoulders of the parent and in some cases the grandparent. I know we expect Sunday school teachers to do it or we want the pastor to do it or we want the teacher in the Christian school to do it. They'll have their place but there there and more of a role of reinforcing what you are doing is apparent. Moses told fathers to write these things down for your children and he said teach it to them in the morning and the afternoon and in the evening.

I think it's always a good thing to have ongoing conversations with your children about spiritual things. Everything doesn't have to be a sermon, but there needs to be opportunities where your helping them to understand how the Bible applies in their life. And one thing I would also suggest is turn off those electronic devices.

You put the iPad away, turn the phone off, put the child on your lap. Open the book. Let them read through the book, let them turn the pages. We absorb in different ways and I think there's something about a screen that is actually numbing and screen use among very young children is very high. Every day I just read a number at something like seven hours a day, even for preteens, folks, this is where you step in his parents and grandparents and say put the devices away and never can open up this book are now working to do this together are going to take a walk together and enter their life. There's never going to be anything that takes the place of that so we have a great resource to help you in this work that you're doing with your little ones. One is called babies carry along Bible beautifully packaged as a little handle on it of flap opens up very thick pages with fantastic illustrations of the writing of Sally Lloyd Jones. I love this because it's like saying to a little one hears your Bible.

They have their little Bible is mom and dad carried their Bibles as well. This is designed for newborn to age 4 that we have an amazing book that comes with it. Hardcover again, beautifully illustrated, talking about how God is near you know there's so many scary things out there for kids and you know they see what's on the TV. Maybe you're watching the news and you forget that little eyes are watching the little ears are listening or your discuss incidents scary. So here's a book that Sally Lloyd Jones is titled near and it's based on Psalm 139 where the psalmist talks about how God is with them wherever they go. And these are two resources that begin to be very effective with small children newborn to age 4.

I highly recommend you order them for you kids or grandkids or some of you maybe your great grandkids and will rush to your own copy of near and babies carry along Bible, written by Sally Lloyd Jones for your gift of any size. So whatever you send to us here at harvest will take those resources and use them to continue to reach out through a radio broadcast in her other ways that we reach people through television, online, etc. and that bring the teaching of God's word and the proclamation of the gospel so order your copy of this book by Sally Lloyd Jones called near and also her book babies carry along Bible and we hope to get in touch with us today are both here waiting for you and will send them both together to thank you for investing so Pastor Greg's teaching can continue to come your way. Each day were so grateful for listener support. It's the only way we can make a new beginning available so get in touch today with your donation and will send you near and babies carry along Bible to say thanks. Write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us at 1-800-821-3300.

We can take your call anytime 24 seven.

Again, 1-800-821-3300 one line to harvest.org fixed I Pastor Greg comes back to complete his insights on prayer series essentials.

Hope you'll join us new beginning and everybody thinks are listening to this podcast to learn more about harvest ministries follow the show and consider supporting it. Just go to harvest.org and find out how to know God personally go to harvest.org and click on know God