Know Prayer’s Purpose

Prayer Matters: Praying with Power and Purpose

Part 2: Know Prayer’s Purpose

invites .

Thoughts related to prayer…

• “I’m not very good at praying.”
• “I’m not sure how to pray.”
• “I’m not convinced that God cares about what is on my mind.”

Prayer is the way we with the Lord and Him.

Prayer is NOT…

• bargaining with God.
• making demands of God.
• only asking God for things.
• a therapeutic, meditation-type exercise.
• bothering God and taking up His time.

• a way to show off our spirituality in front of others.

“Prayer is always in danger of degenerating into a glorified ‘gold rush.’” — A.W. Tozer

“The immediate purpose of prayer is the accomplishing of God’s will on earth; the ultimate purpose of prayer is the eternal glory of God” — Warren Wiersbe

The Purpose of Prayer

1. Prayer is our opportunity to with God.

35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Mark 1:35

16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:16

17 pray continually, 1 Thessalonians 5:17

8 I desire to do your will, my God;

    your law is within my heart.” Psalm 40:8

2) Prayer gives us an opportunity to God.

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

• The to is prayer.

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

• about , and about .

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

3) Prayer is our opportunity to God.

15 And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: “Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 2 Kings 19:15

20 “There is no one like you, Lord, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. 1 Chronicles 17:20

12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;

    I will glorify your name forever.

13 For great is your love toward me;

    you have delivered me from the depths,

    from the realm of the dead. Psalm 86:12-13

33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

    How unsearchable his judgments,

    and his paths beyond tracing out!

34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord?

    Or who has been his counselor?”

35 “Who has ever given to God,

    that God should repay them?”

36 For from him and through him and for him are all things.

    To him be the glory forever! Amen. Romans 11:33-36

For prayer to be effective, it must be offered in , in the of Jesus and the of the Holy Spirit.

6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:6

23 …Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. John 16:23