Encouragement to Pray
Introduction
A real encouragement to prayer
Re-reading v12-14
Do you struggle in prayer?
Some might be prayer warriors
The majority might struggle in prayer: Examples
Life is too much/too hard
Will God accept me?
Why do I need to pray?
Unanswered prayer
Example of Song – What various hindrances we meet
What hindrance might you meet?
But answered prayers encourage us to pray more
Though we are weak, prayer is mighty
Example of prayer in a Church in Newtown
Example of Song – Lord teach us how to pray aright
Perhaps prayer is the weakest aspect of many churches in the UK
What are our own private lives in prayer like?
Example of CH Spurgeon
Not just arrow prayers, not just grace, not just before bed or when we wake
Do we enjoy being in God’s presence?
Encouragement to pray
Jesus encourages His disciples to pray – on four occasions
The word "you" – is in the plural
Jesus is speaking to the 11 disciples
These are group statements
Not just individual but corporate prayer
The promise of the Holy Spirit
Pentecost
Acts 4
To join physically together to pray – where possible
v13-14
Repetition – examples
Jesus wants the disciples to take note of this important point
Also John 15:7, 16; 16:23-24
Jesus encourages His apostles many times – ‘ask in My name’
Let us listen to the Lord Jesus and ask in His name
We so quickly forget sermons
The disciples had forgotten the importance of prayer – example
We must not forget the instruction of the Lord
Not to pray selfishly
The Extent of the Promise
Greater Works
v12
Is this confined to the apostles?
Example of the Acts of the Apostles
No one can do a greater miracle than Jesus Christ
Not just confined to physical miracles
Miracles of bodily healing are temporary – people still die
Spiritual miracles – are greater
Spiritual miracles (of salvation)
Not just the Jews but the Gentiles also
Relatively few were saved during Jesus’ ministry – 3’000 were saved at Pentecost
A resurrection body
Example of George Muller
Yet the greater miracle is for their salvation
v12-13
We are asked to consider and ask big things for the kingdom of God
Examples
The Basis of the Promise
To pray in Jesus Name
Not formulaic ‘in Jesus’ name’
It is not found in Scripture
To come to God through Jesus Christ the Mediator
Recognising that we have no right to come to God
Recognising that we have every right to come through Jesus
Heb 10:22
Jesus’ blood has washed us clean
We thank God for Jesus sacrifice on the cross
To pray a prayer that Jesus would confirm / counter-sign
Examples
These directions are about asking
Jesus prayer’ was (Our Father) bracketed in praise
Paul’s prayers are full of thanksgiving
We ask with a spirit of thanksgiving – Phil 4:6-7
Prayer for judgment and salvation – in God’s will
Example
If it brings glory to the Son
God hears our prayers
God answers prayers
Example
Example of Jane
In God’s will
Closing Remarks
1 John 5:14-15 "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him."
God revealed His glory to John – even in a place of suffering and isolation on Patmos
It may surprise us what God may do