THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER

TEXT: Matthew 7:7-8

Luke 11:9-10

Luke 11:5-8

Why is Prayer Necessary?

Ephesians 6:10-18

Ephesians 3:14-15

Prayer Resembles Faith

Luke 7:50

Matthew 9:27-30

Matthew 13:53-58

Matthew 21:21-22

Romans 8:28

Ephesians 3:11

2 Timothy 1:9

Ecclesiastes 3:17

Isaiah 14:24

The Role of Human Action

Romans 9:17

Daniel 9:21-23

John 3:3-5, 7

Matthew 16:18-19

Colossians 1:13

John 11:39

John 11:44

1 Corinthians 14:16

Matthew 6:6, 9

First - we must listen to the prayer.

Second - we must understand the prayer.

Third - we must agree with the prayer.

Fourth - we SHOULD say "Amen."

1 Thessalonians 5:17

A Prayer of Thanksgiving and Blessing

Invitation

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THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER

Text: Matthew 7:7-8

Song of invitation: Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God

GOOD MORNING. First of all, we thank God for this another opportunity to preach to you the grace of the Gospel of Christ.

Please repeat after me: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God – with all thy heart – with all thy soul – with all thy strength – with all thy mind.

We are thankful for the men who have gone before us this morning.

Bro. ___________________who blessed us with the announcements and upcoming events.

Bro. ________________________ our blessed and fine song leader.

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Bro. _____________________who took our united sweet incense to our Father in prayer.

Bro. ______________ who led us in remembering the death of our Lord during the Lord’s Supper.

Bro. _________who read a portion of God’s Holy word from the powerful SWORD of the Spirit.

We are thankful for this congregation; for this loving family of God’s children.

We are thankful for our visitors, those of you who may be first time visitors and those of you who are repeat visitors. To our left, if you are NOT a member of this congregation… please stand so we can acknowledge your presence, even if you are a repeat visitor, please stand. To our right, if you are not a member of this congregation… please stand so we can acknowledge your presence, even if you are a repeat visitor. Please stand.

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The King James Version of God’s Holy Word, the Bible, says, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).

THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER

Loved ones, the Lord our God – Jesus, the Christ – through the Holy Spirit’s revealed Word, the Bible, teaches us the necessity of prayer to our Father in Heaven.

Our text in Matthew 7:7-8 tells the followers of Jesus that we must ask (pray), before we receive; seek (pray), before we find; and knock (pray), before the door will be opened (cf. Luke 11:9-10). God is waiting for us to pray before He will act with all His power on our behalf.

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God does NOT have a fixed plan that He is going to put into action whether or not we cooperate with Him. As a father raises his children, by taking responsibility and initiative for their lives, so God expects us to pray if we are to receive what He wants to give us.

Asking God for anything in prayer is to assertively petition God, as the friend does of his neighbor. Jesus asked, “Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves…and he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth” (Luke 11:5-8). That word “importunity” means the one asking is not ashamed to keep on asking; he’s bold and persistence.

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Why is prayer necessary? Because by praying we tap into the power and willingness of God. Requesting God for anything in prayer is necessary in order to release God's willingness and ability to act. God is willing and able to give us any blessing He wishes, but He will not act until we ask. He deliberately chooses to wait until we ask, until we seek, until we knock. He chooses to wait, until we are willing to seek His help. He allows the doors to remain closed until we knock.

Therefore, we will NOT receive what we are meant to have until we learn to ask for it. Failure to pray specifically for our needs results in missed opportunities. It condemns us to live below God's expectations for us. God will NOT act with all His ability until we realize that we cannot make it on our own. God will not do what He desires to do until we come to see that we desperately need God's intervention in our lives.

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As long as we erroneously think that we can handle life's situations on our own, God simply stands aside.

This understanding strikes at the heart of our self-sufficiency. Prayer is in part the struggle to admit our dependence on someone other than ourselves. It is the struggle to overcome human blindness and pride. It is the struggle to realize and acknowledge our deep need. This acknowledgement is precisely what lays hold of and releases God's resources. Prayer has as its purpose to open our hearts to receive all that God is willing to give.

Prayer is crying to God for help, based on an awareness of dependence on God. It is the cry of those who realize that only the breaking in of God's reign can remedy the challenging situations that we face in our everyday spiritual battle against Satan and his evil forces (cf. Ephesians 6:10-18).

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Prayer is the language of a man burdened with a sense of need. It is the voice of a beggar, conscious of his poverty, asking of another the things he needs. Not to pray is not only to declare that there is nothing needed, but to admit to a nonrealization of that need.

Affluent, successful man is repelled by this understanding of prayer. No person likes to think that they have to ask (beg) for anything. Most of us prefer to earn what we want. That is why prayer is so difficult for us. We are content to settle for less because we don't want to lower ourselves to the position of a supplicant. We would prefer to go without rather than to have to ask God, or any of the family of God, for help (cf. Ephesians 3:14-15).

Prayer resembles faith. Like faith, prayer is opening our empty hand so that we might receive God's provision for us.

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But prayer not only expresses dependence, just as faith admits it must trust; prayer also expresses our belief that God is willing and able to act if we ask, seek and knock. Prayer is the connection between God's action and human faith.

The New Testament repeatedly reminds us that God will NOT act unless human beings believe that God can and will do what is necessary when we pray. Such a faith that acts through prayer brings results. Jesus said to the woman who anointed His feet with perfume: “Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace" (Luke 7:50). When two blind men came to Him, He asked them, “Believe ye that I am able to do this?” After they expressed their belief in Him, He touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith be it unto you.” And their sight was restored (Matthew 9:27-30). The Gospel reveals that when Jesus went to His hometown of Nazareth, “He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief" (Matthew 13:53-58).

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He told His disciples, “If ye have faith, and doubt not… all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (Matthew 21:21-22). God has the ability and intent to overrule all evil for good in the future. But even now, evil is partially overruled in the situations of life. Paul reflected that perspective in Romans 8:28: “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." We can experience in the present a foretaste of God's future demonstration of victory over all evil. As we pray, we are working to spread the presence of the kingdom in that area of life for which we are praying. As we pray, we become the instruments of the Spirit in opening the situation we face, or the person for whom we are praying, to receive the breaking in of God's rule in the present.

This understanding of prayer is grounded in a specific outlook toward the nature of reality.

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The Holy Spirit teaches that God has seen fit to involve us in the enactment of His “eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians 3:11; 2 Timothy 1:9; cf. Ecclesiastes 3:17). God says, “Surely, as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand” (Isaiah 14:24). He therefore invites us to participate in the fulfillment of His purposes.

The Bible repeatedly emphasizes THE ROLE OF HUMAN ACTION in effecting God's purposes. The Lord raised up Pharaoh to show God’s power and declare His name throughout all the earth (Romans 9:17). God wants to act in the world. But in certain areas God has decided NOT to act apart from prayer. God has decided that His action will come only in response to prayer (cf. Daniel 9:21-23). God has voluntarily made Himself dependent upon our prayer.

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Prayer becomes the expression of a holy discontent with the present, an unwillingness to leave things as they are. In this way, even our own outlook can be transformed by means of prayer. God invites us to become partners with Him by working, by evangelizing, by being Christians in the world - and also by praying.

By active prayer, God brings about the growth of His kingdom, the body or church of Christ (cf. John 3:3-5, 7; Matthew 16:18-19; Colossians 1:13). In prayer you align yourself to the purposes and power of God, and He is able to do through you what He would NOT otherwise do.

This is an open universe, where some things are left open, contingent upon our doing what we can about them. If we do not do them, they will never be done. If nothing else, we can pray, because God has left certain things open to prayer - things which will never be done except we pray.

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In John chapter 11, when Jesus came to the tomb of Lazarus, He commanded the onlookers to “take ye away the stone” that had been put upon of the entrance to the cave grave (John 11:39). The Lord, by Himself, had the ability to command the stone to move away from the tomb. Yet, Jesus asked the bystanders to take that action themselves.

When Lazarus came forth, “bound hand and foot with graveclothes… Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go” (John 11:44). Why did He command them to do this? He wanted others to participate in His resurrection work.

God wants us to get involved in bringing about His purposes. God has ordained that we play important roles in the accomplishing of His intentions and goals. This includes participating in the task of prayer.

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As we pray, we become agents of the answer. Prayer becomes the occasion for us to ask: “Am I willing to be part of the answer to my own prayer? Am I at God's disposal for the accomplishing of my prayers?”

The worshipper who would pray in the assembly must do more than bow his head and close his eyes. The worshipper must pray. That means we are to also pray along with the leader during our worship services. Do you pray along with the one leading in prayer?

The Bible says, "Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?" (1 Corinthians 14:16). This verse suggests four requirements if one is to properly enter into a prayer during worship.

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First, he must listen to the prayer. One cannot legitimately say "Amen" at the conclusion of a prayer if he has NOT listened to the prayer. "Mind-wandering" is an ever-present problem. We sing, but we don't observe the words of the song. We bow our heads, but we don't listen to the prayer. We sit through the sermon, but our minds wander to things of an earthly nature. Consequently, we attend worship periods, but we don't worship as we ought. If one is to pray, with the congregation, he must listen to the prayer.

Second, he must understand the prayer. When a man in the first century led a prayer in an “unknown” tongue, which was a different language than the listener understood, the worshiper could not say "Amen," for he could not understand the language in which the prayer was spoken.

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Neither can the worshiper say "Amen" today if the leader has not spoken loudly enough to be heard or if he has used words or phrases which the worshiper does not understand. Those men who lead prayers in the assembly should be conscious of the needs of the whole congregation, speaking up where all can hear and using words which all can understand.

Third, the worshipper must agree with the prayer. A number of years ago, while sitting beside an older preacher, we observed his saying "Yes" or "Yes, Lord" at the conclusion of each separate phrase of the prayer as it was being led. That was impressive.

Obviously, this brother was listening to every phrase, determining whether or not he agreed with the phrase, and was then speaking his agreement. He was not just sitting through a prayer; he was praying.

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Occasionally, we hear sentiments expressed in prayer with which we do not agree. To these sentiments we cannot say "Amen." For example, some, even in the church, are confused about to whom we should pray. Jesus taught His disciples to pray to the Father (Matthew 6:6). It’s alright to address our prayers to the Lord, as long as we understand we are speaking to the Lord our God and Father in Heaven (Matthew 6:9).

Dear MEN are you LISTENING? The people in the audience are NOT the ones to be addressed in prayer. Prayer is NOT the time to make announcements to our members or visitors or to tell someone listening that we are praying for them.

Prayer should be a conversation between us and God as we offer thanksgivings for all the many blessings, He provides for us.

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We are also encouraged to let Him hear our request for strength, patience, forgiveness, courage, help with presenting the gospel to others, and help with our own forgiveness of others.

Fourth, he should say "Amen." The word "Amen" means "so let it be." We long to hear the strong, resounding "Amen" at the close of prayers which we used to hear in the churches of Christ. We fear that the move away from this practice of together saying AMEN is another step toward cold, lifeless formality in our worship. We are not contending, however, that one must say the word "Amen" audibly; but we are suggesting that at least in his mind he should say "Amen," thus making the prayer his own prayer. He has listened to the prayer; he has understood the prayer; he has agreed with the prayer; now he speaks to God his "Amen" or approval of the prayer as his prayer. In this manner, he unites with other worshipers in common prayer unto God.

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Again, why is prayer necessary? It is necessary because it makes a difference in the universe; it makes a difference in my life; it makes a difference in the lives of others for whom we pray; it enables things to happen that otherwise would not happen. It makes all the difference in the world.

We are asking you to please help us daily and without ceasing in prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Brethren, please listen and agree with us as we close this sermon with a Prayer of Thanksgiving and Blessing.

Dear Holy and Righteous Father in Heaven, by the authority of Jesus and to your glory, on the wings of prayer do we humbly bring forth these thanksgivings and desired blessings that your will be done.

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We are thankful and come before you with hearts bursting in praise, admiration and love for all that you mean for our lives. We are thankful for your love and the confidence we have that you hear us when we pray in accordance with your will; and because you hear us, we know we have the petitions we desire.

We thank you for being so good to us and allowing us to call you our Father. We are thankful that you are the ONE who has been our Rock in a weary land and our Shelter in the time of storm; the ONE who moves stumbling blocks, makes burdens lighter and makes dark days brighter. We thank you for being the ONE true God that spoke and made something out of nothing; who spoke nowhere into somewhere; who caused chaotic darkness to become shining light.

Dear Heavenly Father, we are thankful for your Son and our Saviour Jesus, the Christ.

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We are thankful for His love and ever-present guidance in our life as He sustains us each second of each day. We are thankful that He has given and shown us the way to our eternal mansion in Heaven. We are thankful for His death, burial, resurrection and the soul cleanings blood that was shed on Calvary’s cross to reconcile us to you.

Holy Father, we are thankful for the members of the church built by Jesus meeting in various locations all over the world. We are thankful for the grace, mercy, longsuffering and forgiveness you have for your often times unbelieving and disobedient children. We are thankful for all your elders, deacons, evangelist, teachers and members in the church of Christ. We are thankful for the strength you have given us to stand firm in the midst of our spiritual warfare and to remain encouraged in the Lord as we completely trust in you.

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We are thankful that you allow us to follow your Holy Spirit as we walk by faith in the light of your revealed Holy Word, the Bible. We are thankful for the desire you have given us to increase our faith every day as we read, study and apply your word.

Dear Lord, our God, we are thankful and sadden for the more than 8 billion lost souls all around us. We are thankful that you have sent your faithful children into the world as soul winning fishers of men, to lovingly teach and spread the truth of your Word boldly without fear. We are so very thankful as we remember our own formally lost condition and the workers you sent to invite us to obey and be added to Christ for eternal life. We thank you for your powerful unbreakable Gospel message which can guide truth seekers into the right way.

We thank you for reminding us to rely upon your mighty power as we share your love with those that are hungering and thirsting for righteousness.

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We thank you for rebuking Satan, the father of lies, for the deception of his lie that mankind can be "as gods" in deciding for themselves what is right and what is wrong. We thank you for allowing your will to be done by those you have placed in authority. We thank you for the freedom you have given us in Christ and the hard-fought freedoms you have given us in the world.

Dear Lord, our God and Father, we are so very thankful for the blessings we have received and for the many blessing you continue to bestow on those who are humble enough to ask, seek and knock.

We ask you to bless our military men and women as they serve on foreign and domestic soil to maintain our freedoms. Bless President Trump and all the elected political leaders throughout the world to repent of their sins and come to know Jesus and be saved.

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Bless our politicians to realize that all authority comes from you, NOT the voters, and that one day they will stand before you to give an account of the power you have given them. Bless them with wisdom and lift them above the selfish claims of politics. Bless them with courage to speak and teach the truth in love as you guide them to properly lead the nations. Bless and surround them with wise and discerning advisors who will work together to benefit the people. Bless them through your Word to cast down every law, policy and personal example which weakens marriages, families or your moral standards.

Bless the leaders in and out of the church and open their eyes to pay closer attention to how they deal with the poor, homeless, orphans, widows and those forgotten in prisons. Bless those in authority to see and remove the hate-filled men and women determined to destroy the peace in our land.

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Bless them to see and correct the prejudiced people who do not want to treat all of your human creation with equality. Bless the leaders to see and reform the young people using guns, knives and man-made drugs to terrorize and confuse our neighborhoods and schools. Bless the lost who hear with a good, honest and humble heart to gladly come and receive your engrafted word which is able to save their souls. Bless and lead them through the many temptations placed in their way by the devil and his minions. Bless all true Christians to let the light of Jesus shine brightly through us as we go into this dark and sinful world teaching the Gospel, baptizing the taught, and teaching our born-again brethren to obey all that Jesus has commanded.

Bless, use and protect our families as you have your way in our hearts. Bless us to never be ashamed to confess that we need you every day and every hour.

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Bless all believers through your Holy Spirit, who have faith in Jesus as your only begotten Son, to set a lifetime good example in word, conduct, love, spirit, faith and purity.

Bless us to understand the urgency of the message of Christ Jesus that must be obeyed in order to be personally applied. Bless us as members of your spiritual body to submit to Jesus, our only Head, our only BOSS. Bless and heal us physically and spiritually so that we can be better servants in your vineyard. Bless and awaken us to the full realization that we must do more each day in order to publish and proclaim the Gospel to all people in the simplest and most easily understood manner.

Bless us as individual Christians to display the love of Christ in our life at all times. Bless us to know no barriers of race, creed or gender, that our love may be like yours, a love that desires all men to be your children and our brothers and sisters in Christ.

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Bless us with love, patience and forgiveness for each other, so that the world will know we are your people. Bless us to die to our own selfish desires and pride, and with one mind, speak the same oracles of God with no divisions among us. Bless us to use the talents you have given us to worship and serve you as profitable faithful stewards.

Dear Holy Father, we let loose this petition in the name of Mary's baby… in the name of the man from Galilee who walked on the sea and stilled the storm tossed water… in the name of the great I AM, the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the one who died to make us free, but is alive forevermore… by the blessed and precious authority of our Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Let us all together say – AMEN!

Invitation

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