Speaker Sermon/Lesson Title Audio   Video  Text   MS Word Category Bobby Stafford For What Should We Pray?     Prayer

For What Should We Pray?

Introduction:

Psalm 37:4 emphasizes the need for us to “delight” in the Lord.  He shall bless us with desires of our heart. “Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.” NKJV  But prayer is not our personal “wish list.”  God’s Word instructs us for what we should pray.

Body:

I.  Pray for All Men, including Unbelievers

·  I Timothy 2:1-2 “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. NKJV  This includes rulers [civil . . .] and all sorts of prayers for all sorts of people.

·  Matthew 5:44-45 “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. NKJV  Romans 12:19-20, 21 “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay;’ says the Lord.  Therefore ‘If your enemy is hungry; feed him; If he is thirsty; give him a drink;  For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” NKJV  These verses state that we should pray for enemies.  God will execute punishment, when and if needed.

·  Romans 10:1-2 “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.  For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.” NKJV  This verse tells us to pray for those willing to spread the gospel.  Many sincere religious people are lost.  (Ephesians 6:18-19) “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints – and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,” NKJV  (Colossians 4:3) “meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains,” NKJV

II.  Pray for Believers

·  Growth  Colossians 1:9-12 “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.” NKJV  “Do not cease”

o  Increase in knowledge – Come to know God’s will as a result of the increase of knowledge.  (Ephesians 4:1) “I, therefore the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,” NKJV

o  Worthy, acceptable walk

o  Fruitful – Bear good works.

o  Strengthened – Perseverance through difficult times.

·  Give thanks to God for other Christians’ service in the Kingdom.  I Thessalonians 1:2-3 “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father,” NKJV  Note all those mentioned in Romans 16.

·  The spiritually sick  James 5:14:16, 19-20 “Is anyone among you sick?  Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.” NKJV  Sometimes confession is needed before healing can take place.

III.  Pray for Yourself

·  Physical Needs  Matthew 6:11 “Give us this day our daily bread,” NKJV  Basics of daily life  Note promise:  Matthew 6:33.“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” NKJV  (Proverbs 30:8) “Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches – Feed me with the food allotted to me;” NKJV  God is sovereign and in control.

·  Relief from worry and fear  Philippians 4:6-7 “Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus.” NKJV  Note our responsibility.  (Psalm 4:1) “Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness!  You have relieved me in my distress; Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.” NKJV

·  Afflictions of any kind be removed.  James 5:13 “Is anyone among you suffering?  Let him pray.  Is anyone cheerful?  Let him sing psalms.” NKJV  Jonah 2:1-2 “Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly, And he said; ‘I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction, And He answered me.” NKJV

·  Deliverance from evil.  Matthew 6:13 “And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.  For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen.” NKJV  John 17:15 “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.” NKJV

o  Spare us from the level of testing that would lead us to leave the Lord.  I Corinthians 10:12-13 “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall, No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” NKJV

o  Enemies  Psalm 18:6, 16-19 “In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears. 16 He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.  He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me, For they were too strong for me.  They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the Lord was my support.  He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me.” NKJV

o  Wisdom  James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” NKJV  Not miraculous!  Spiritual discernment.  God wants us to ask. 

 

Invitation:

For the child of God, prayer is the avenue to access the Father’s forgiveness.  (Acts 8:13, 22) “Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.  22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.” NKJV  (Psalm 32:1-5) “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered.  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit.  When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long.  For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer.  Selah  I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden.  I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.  Selah” NKJV  For one outside Christ, baptism is the avenue to access the Father’s forgiveness.  (Acts 2:38) “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” NKJV

 

Bobby Stafford  September 29, 2019