The Refreshing Power of Prayer: Fundamentals of the Christian Life

You are listening to a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast supported by harvest partners for more ways to deepen and challenge your spiritual walk and roll and pastor breaks free online courses sign up and harvest out a word will hinder your brother. Sometimes we wonder if something is raining and we don't see answer coming up to Greg Laurie showing some 66. He never regarded Woody my heart. The Lord will not. There is a sin in your life you God stop rationalizing. Just wanted you know God knowing problem blindly sold Little Rock to dropping over windshield or someone finally shuts off that incessant Carl relief refreshing correctly here on a new beginning. Greg Laurie is by letting a number of spiritually many of us could use some refreshment is foundational insight on the fundamentals? Long.

This method I want to talk to you about the rushing power of prayer you member the person you're prayer was answered. How wonderful that was, in light of this, why don't we pray more often.

Jeremiah 2913 God says if you seek me you find me. If you seek me with all of your heart. Now there are things that can hinder our prayers. Things that we do these things. They can stop God from intervening in our life solidified it with these barriers are to get rid of them. Here's one unconfessed sin will hinder your prayer. Unconfessed sin will hinder your prayer. Isaiah 59, says the Lord's hand is not short that it can't say his ear is not close that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins of kid's face that he will not care. The psalmist says in Psalm 6618 if I regard iniquity in my heart. The Lord will not hear me in the word that he uses. Therefore regard means to hold onto or to cling to. So there is a sin in your life that you will not confess to God, confess it to him he say what you mean.

Confess means admit it. Confess means to agree with God to see sin for what it is.

Stop rationalizing that stop justifying it of same. While everyone is doing it. You know, it's a sin asked God to forgive you. We need to be forgiven by God on a daily basis as Christians remember the Lord's prayer, Jesus taught us to pray as follows. 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 as we forgive those who have sinned against us.

So Jesus is teaching us as we pray that we should ask God on a regular basis for our daily bread. What is our daily bread. Well, that's just provision bread was a staple of the Middle Eastern diet. Nobody was on the Quito diet. Back then they had carbs in their diet and so the idea of asking for bread is just asking God for provision Lord provide all that I need a roof over my head and food on my table give me this day my daily bread. So it's daily that something I should preprint about daily. You didn't say pray. Give us this month our monthly bread notes a daily thing. I come to God for. By the way the Lord has provided for you.

That's why we say grace. What is the point of saying grace is to give thanks for what God has given us so you get that meal in front of you and is a Lord I thank you for providing this meal for me, but he goes on give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us so is also teaching us to pray for the forgiveness of sins on a regular basis. Sin can separate you from God. Here's another one idles in your heart can hinder your prayers as well. You might say well I'm off the hook on this one. I don't worship any idles, don't you, we might have some little object that we bow down before.

I doubt that. But some do but to an idol is anything or anyone that takes the place of God in our life is soaking a lot of things can become an idol.

John writes in his epistle, little children, keep yourself from idols.

For some people, idol is their appearance.

It's all about the way that they look be effectively worship themselves. Some people worship money they worship their possessions. They worship the car they drive, they worship the house they live in your Woody mean worship.

I mean, they're preoccupied with it and they think about that thing more than God himself.

The Bible tells the story of young men came to Jesus, recalling the rich young ruler probably cruised up in a supercool Lord chariot pulled the latte of the didn't have Lucky's back then he says hey good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life.

It's almost as though he was saying. By implication, hey Jesus, you're a group of followers are kind of a ragtag bunch are they not, would you have some fishermen a tax collector.

Look at me I'm a ruler and I am rich and I'm young so this guy was probably in his 30s, climbing his ladder very influential be great to have me on your team. Here I am, what I have to do to inherit eternal life. You would've thought Jesus was a come on and son, you're one of the team. Now let's go no Jesus is. I'll tell you what you need to keep the commandments. Any quotes of view of the 10 Commandments to this young man and then the rich young ruler said in response to all these I have Since I been a young boy, if we would've read at that point, and Jesus met them across the face. I would've made sense.

What a joke kept all the commandments since he was a young boy.

No one keeps all the commandments is only one man who ever walked the earth that kept all of the commandments that was Jesus Christ because of factors. No one can keep the commandments, God gives us the commandments to drive us to Jesus.

The commandments open my eyes and they shut my mouth and show me that I sin, and I fall short of God's glory.

But anyway, this young man says all these I get from my youth up and I love how it then goes on to say. And Jesus looked at him and loved him, you love them that you're so cute look at you arrogant young man, thinking you've done it all alright.

Jesus says I'll tell you what, take all of your stuff salad given to the poor, and follow me and the Bible says that men went away sad because he had many possessions. You see the problem with this young man is he worship things. Jesus didn't want to stop. It's possible of the young man would've said okay Lord, I'll do it. Lord, what is said nevermind. No. He said this to only one man in the Bible. And that's because this man was ruled by his own possession to someone else he might see if you want to follow me break up the relationship that is pulling you down spiritually to another. You might say another thing.

But you see the idol and that young man's heart was his stuff.

Yes idols can keep us from God. Mr. Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message in just a moment, everybody Greg Laurie here encouraging you to join us as we give her what we call harvesting that home. It's worse and it's a message of the word of God. You can watch it with your family and your front room or you can watch it on the go on your tablet on your phone or your computer.

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Join us or harvested home harvest so were getting some important insights on rare today from Pastor Greg is explaining those things that can actually hinder our prayers. Here's another one unforgiveness in your heart can hinder your prayers.

Unforgiveness in your heart can hinder your prayers. Mark 1125 says when you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him that your father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. Notice it doesn't say if you have anything against anyone, forgive him if they deserve it. Notice is forgive because we've all been hurt by people have you been hurt by your parents. Perhaps hurt by your children hurt by your husband and your wife hurt by someone you thought was a friend to ended up a train you we been hurt in life and the Bible teaches us to be tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ has forgiven us. Listen to this forgiven people should be forgiving people and if you do not forgive. Bitterness will creep in, eating you up inside. It's been said, quote bitterness is an acid that destroys its own container" years ago someone gave me a shirt as a gift and this was not an attractive shirt.

I have to send by the way, if you give close to someone as a gift, don't ask them the next time you see them, why aren't you wearing the shirt I gave you where the dress or whatever it was. The reason may be because what you gave them was ugly and you look bad taste, but they don't want to say that to you so I'm saying it to you on their behalf.

Don't give close to people without the option of them returning the close by giving shirt to someone or addressed to my wife also looked return it if you don't like it. I'm fine. I thought this would pretty good.

Here's the receipt get whatever you want but anyway you give this ugly sure to them you expect them to work when give me this ugly sure look on the thought away. It was a gift so I put it in the trunk of my car. I'm not sure what it was going to do with it. Well then I had a problem with my battery and I took my battery out and put it in the trunk of my car as I drove around I open of the truck and realize the battery had tipped over and all this battery acid had filled the shirt.

The shirt was wet with battery acid. Now I should just go to the way I took the shirt out. Let it dry out and inexplicably I don't remember doing this but somehow it ended up at the dryclean.

So I get a call my phone from the drycleaners a good day later assert what is insured you gave to us to dryclean.

It's like a pirate shirt and a pirate shirt she gets coming apart in strips right now in strips of this shirt landed on a pile of sheets we had burned a hole through them. What is this shirt. I said no I don't want it you can just keep the say that the acid the battery acid in the shirt was destroying things and that's what bitterness does to you.

That's what unforgiveness does to you as well. Forgive Jesus on the cross, said father forgive them for they know not what they do is they'll give me a break break. That's Jesus I'm not Jesus know you're not normal, but remember Stephen the first martyr of the church. He was put to death for his faith in Christ, what'd he pray said I see Jesus standing on the right hand of the father. Then he said, Lord, don't lay this sin to their charge, listen, you need to forgive for yourself so you can be free. One last thing. Unbelief can hinder your prayer. Unbelief can hinder your prayer. James 15 says if you need wisdom you want to know what God wants you to do, ask him and he will gladly tell you he will not resent you asking.

But when you ask him, be sure you really expect him to answer for a doubtful mind as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not spent to receive anything from the Lord yet. Pray for wisdom pray for provision. Pray for God's blessing and direction and expect him to answer, expect him to answer a lot of times we cancel our prayers out because were filled with so much doubt.

Now there's a teaching that would say whatever you want. You speak it into existence, you name it and you claim it you you cabinet in you grab it in God will do whatever you ask him to do. Thank God that's not true, and he'll overrule my request. Especially when they would hurt me but having said that, there is a place for faith in prayer. So with this much faith as you can muster. Bring your need to Jesus Christ.

I love the prayer that one man who said Lord I believe but help my on belief, God will more than meet you halfway. As you bring your need to him let me close by asking you this you have any right now. Do you need a touching your body physically like blind Bart Emmaus call out to Jesus you have a child or a marriage that needs help right now. Then call out to Jesus. Don't give up. Pray.

Jesus said, not in the door will be open.

Keep knocking, keep asking, keep seeking. Be persistent in your prayer. But again, as I said earlier prayer is only the privilege of a child of God. Sure, anyone can.

Prayer. Prayer, but if you want to have a prayer life. You need to be a Christian and sometimes you hear it said were all God's children. I know that sounds nice, but it's actually not biblical. I'm sorry to tell you we are not all God's children were all created by God were all loved by God, but were not all.

By default, children of God to become a child of God, you need to be part of the family of God and to become part of the family of God. You need to be born into that family is a know you mean raised in a Christian home, no, not at all. I wasn't raised in a Christian home. I was raised in the opposite of a Christian home know the way you join the family of God is by being born into it.

Or maybe I should see it being born again into it because Jesus said you must be born again or literally born from above you see your separated from God by your sin.

All of us are we all broken God's commandments. We've all fallen short of God's standards, but 2000 years ago, God loves you so much. He said his son Jesus Christ to die on the cross in your place after Jesus was talking about the story we read the Son of Man himself was going to go and suffer and die for their sins and for our sins and for all of humanity since so I'm separated from God by my sin. But Christ died for my sin and about to turn from that sin about my faith in him, he will forgive me, so let me ask you, have you been forgiven of your sin is Jesus Christ living inside of you right now the Bible says, for as many as received him, he gave them the power to become sons of God, being a Christian isn't just believing a creed or reading the Bible are going to church being a Christian is having Christ living inside of you is Jesus living in your heart and life right now.

You might say well I think so. I'm not sure if the family moved into your house at 3 o'clock in the morning and started cooking fish in your kitchen you think you would notice. Not not comparing Jesus to a family living in your house. I just think if someone came into your house. I think you'd be aware of it and in the same way if God Almighty has taken residence in your heart, you'll know it and if you don't know it. Maybe that's because he's not there yet. Would you like to ask Jesus to come in your life would you like to be forgiven of your sin.

I began by talking about refreshment.

Would you like to be refreshed again. Jesus said come to me all ye that labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you.

Are you burdened by your sin. I can all change right now Jesus is ready to step in your life and change everything. He'll give you the meaning and purpose of life you've been looking for.

And then he'll give you hope beyond the grave in the afterlife to give you the hope of heaven, but you must ask him to come and live in your heart right here right now in a moment will to pray and I'm going to extend an invitation for you to believe in Jesus Christ. So if you need Jesus to come in your life if you want him to forgive you of your sin if you want this huge burden of guilt lifted off of you if you want to find the meaning and purpose of your life than simply pray this simple prayer I will enjoy now pray these words. If you would, Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but I also know that you are the Savior, Jesus, I ask you to come into my life right now and forgive me of all of my sin I choose to follow you from this moment forward in Jesus name I pray for Pastor Greg Laurie and if you just pray that prayer first of all we want to be the first to welcome you into God's family, and we also want to help you grow as a Christian want to send you Pastor Greg's new believers growth packet.

It's a free resource that will answer many of your questions and get you started off right in your new walk of faith. Just ask for the new believers growth packet as you write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or when you call 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call anytime 24 seven.

Again, the number 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and ever so excited to make available a new book called the Jesus music Pastor Greg in the mid-70s I was a DJ had a Jesus music station not far from Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa were so much of the music was born right and our entire library was about 60 albums a success is so even by the mid-70s. It was still a fledgling music format is nothing like it is today and we try to expand its reach. We tried to work through the churches to get the word out about this new music and yeah frankly most resisted unit was different. Yes, it had drums and guitars and they didn't want any of that stuff. Well, things have changed haven't that mean it's not uncommon to see electric guitars and drums and all that in churches today. All of the things that you see in the church today actually came from the Jesus movement. One of them is contemporary Christian music.

Another is I would say a more casual approach by the preacher may be dressed in a more relaxed way a lot of things that are commonplace in the church were born in this time of revival that started somewhere around maybe 69 went on through the 70s. In one of the big things was the music, the Jesus music was the soundtrack of that movement and I had the privilege of having a front row seat.

I didn't know that I walk smack dab in the middle of a genuine spiritual awakening that Becca wrote a book about it called the Jesus revolution. By the way that's being made into a feature film that will be released in 2022, but this music was happening.

Amazing fresh new music that was current for our generation and not only was it me back then but it continues to this present day, so a book has been written about this called the Jesus music. It's a beautiful hardbound book with the glossy pages filled with photographs and stories about these artists.

The ones who pioneered at the Jesus music people like love song Andre Crouch and the disciples and of course Larry Norman on through artists like Amy Grant, Michael W Smith through bands like Petra and striper to the present day, with bands that we listen to today and art is that we listen to today fascinating origins. This book is a story of well flawed individuals of God work through a lot of these artists work perfect people, but who was a perfect person is not the whole Bible, the story of flawed people to God work through. So this is a book that will tell you things about this music that you've probably grown to love that you've never heard before or seen before. It's a brand-new book called the Jesus music. I had the privilege of writing the forward and I think you're gonna really enjoy this.

This is a Kennebunk you probably sent on your coffee table and keep out the lookout again and again so were encouraging you to order your own copy of the Jesus music written by Marshall Terrell Y wrote three books with and I'm working on 1/4 book with.

By the way, and said this is something you're gonna love and it will be yours for your gift of any size know some of you can give a lot. We appreciate that some of you can only give a little.

Whatever you give.

We will send you your own copy of the Jesus music is our way of saying thanks to you. Yeah, that's right.

And we hope you will contact us today with your investment in this ministry and will send you this beautiful hardback edition of the Jesus music so many great pictures and such great stories of the birth of contemporary Christian music. You can write us at a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call any time 24 seven, 1-800-821-3300.

That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org next time as Pastor Greg's refresh series continues see how refreshing it is to live a Spirit led life will discover the spirit provides both power and direction in our walk of faith. Join us here on a new beginning. Pastor and Bible teacher, pray for, and I need beginning as a podcast, made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God if this show has impacted your life. Share your story, leave a review on your favorite podcast and help others find help