Glimpses of Our GodGlimpses of Our God

Lesson 10Lesson 10

The Promise of PrayerThe Promise of Prayer

Memory TextMemory Text

• Psalm 55:17 (NKJV)Psalm 55:17 (NKJV)• Evening and morning and at Evening and morning and at

noon I will pray, and cry noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my aloud, and He shall hear my voice.voice.

• What can we learn about What can we learn about prayer from this verse prayer from this verse penned by David?penned by David?

• Were David’s heartfelt Were David’s heartfelt prayers always answered prayers always answered the way he wanted? (2 Sam the way he wanted? (2 Sam 12: 16-18)12: 16-18)

Definition of PrayerDefinition of Prayer

• How would you define How would you define prayer?prayer?

• How do our prayers get How do our prayers get to God? (Rom 8:26)to God? (Rom 8:26)

• How do His answers get How do His answers get back to us?back to us?

Benefits of PrayerBenefits of Prayer

• Where will the Spirit Where will the Spirit lead us as He intercedes lead us as He intercedes between us and God? between us and God? (John 16:13)(John 16:13)

• What is God’s will for What is God’s will for us? (1 Tim 2:4)us? (1 Tim 2:4)

• How important is prayer How important is prayer in becoming a Christian?in becoming a Christian?

• How important is prayer How important is prayer to remaining a to remaining a Christian?Christian?

Benefits of PrayerBenefits of Prayer• Ps 91:15-16 Ps 91:15-16 He shall call upon me, and I will He shall call upon me, and I will

answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life will I deliver him, and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.satisfy him, and show him my salvation.

• Jer 33:3 Jer 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.thou knowest not.

• Eph 3:20 Eph 3:20 Now unto Him that is able to do Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think…think…

• James 4:2 …James 4:2 …ye have not, because ye ask not.ye have not, because ye ask not.• James 5:15 James 5:15 the prayer of faith shall save the the prayer of faith shall save the

sick,…sick,…• James 5:16 James 5:16 The effectual fervent prayer of a The effectual fervent prayer of a

righteous man availeth much.righteous man availeth much.

Jesus on PrayerJesus on Prayer

• Matt 7:7 Matt 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:shall be opened unto you:

• Matt 18:19 Matt 18:19 if two of you shall agree on if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them.shall ask, it shall be done for them.

• Matt 21:22 Matt 21:22 And all things, whatsoever And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.shall receive.

• John 14:13 John 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do.ask in my name, that will I do.

Fixed or FlexibleFixed or Flexible

• From what you read in From what you read in the Bible, does it sound the Bible, does it sound to you like the future is to you like the future is fixed or does prayer fixed or does prayer change things?change things?

• What glimpse of the What glimpse of the nature of God does this nature of God does this give you?give you?

Conditions to Answered PrayerConditions to Answered Prayer• Psalm 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Psalm 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the

Lord will not hear me:Lord will not hear me:• 1 John 5:14 if we ask any thing according to his 1 John 5:14 if we ask any thing according to his

will, he heareth us:will, he heareth us:• John 9:31 Now we know that God does not hear John 9:31 Now we know that God does not hear

sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.does His will, He hears him.

• James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.lusts.

• 1 John 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive 1 John 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

• 1 Peter 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, … giving 1 Peter 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, … giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, … that your prayers be not hindered.… that your prayers be not hindered.

Answered & Unanswered Answered & Unanswered PrayerPrayer

• What prayer can we What prayer can we count on God to always count on God to always answer, especially for answer, especially for sinners? (1 John 1:9)sinners? (1 John 1:9)

• How should we deal with How should we deal with unanswered prayer?unanswered prayer?– Let’s say we’re praying Let’s say we’re praying

for a friend to recover for a friend to recover from cancer and he dies, from cancer and he dies, or a daughter to have a or a daughter to have a safe trip and her plane safe trip and her plane crashes.crashes.

SummarySummary

• Our glimpse of God this Our glimpse of God this week reveals a God who week reveals a God who wants to communicate with wants to communicate with us and have a relationship us and have a relationship with us.with us.

• He has given us prayer so He has given us prayer so that we can communicate that we can communicate with Him in thought, with Him in thought, meditation, spoken words, meditation, spoken words, writing, poetry, and song.writing, poetry, and song.

• He has given us the Holy He has given us the Holy Spirit to intercede for us: to Spirit to intercede for us: to take our thoughts and take our thoughts and words to God and God’s words to God and God’s thoughts and words to us.thoughts and words to us.

SummarySummary

• The Spirit leads us into all The Spirit leads us into all truth: to God’s Word as truth: to God’s Word as truth and to Jesus as the truth and to Jesus as the Truth, and prayer is Truth, and prayer is essential to receiving the essential to receiving the Holy Spirit.Holy Spirit.

• Without prayer, we cannot Without prayer, we cannot even begin the Christian life even begin the Christian life by asking for forgiveness by asking for forgiveness nor can we grow in grace nor can we grow in grace and have a love relationship and have a love relationship with the Lord. with the Lord.

• Every relationship requires Every relationship requires time and communication.time and communication.

SummarySummary

• The Bible is clear that The Bible is clear that prayer changes things: The prayer changes things: The future is flexible rather than future is flexible rather than fixed.fixed.

• God gives us the freedom of God gives us the freedom of choice to actually determine choice to actually determine the countless details of our the countless details of our lives and, most of all, our lives and, most of all, our eternal destiny. eternal destiny.

• Will you trust the Lord today Will you trust the Lord today to answer your prayer for to answer your prayer for forgiveness and use this forgiveness and use this means of grace to build an means of grace to build an everlasting relationship with everlasting relationship with Him?Him?