Parkland First Baptist Church
Sunday, July 12, 2020

      • Ephesians 2.8-9CSB

      • 2 Chronicles 15–16CSB

      • 1 Kings 16CSB

      • 1 Kings 17–18CSB

      • Psalm 119CSB

      • 1 Kings 19–21CSB

      • 2 Chronicles 17CSB

      • Psalm 129CSB

      • Matthew 1CSB

      • 1 Kings 22CSB

      • 2 Chronicles 18CSB

      • Matthew 2CSB

      • 2 Chronicles 19–20CSB

      • 2 Kings 1CSB

      • Psalm 20CSB

      • Matthew 3CSB

  • My Savior My God
  • Blessed Be Your Name
  • Shout To The Lord

  • Introduction

    We are in a series on Prayer for today and the next couple of weeks.
    As we learn more about prayer, let me encourage you to begin to put this into practice.
    Join us on Wednesday at 6:00 on our Facebook group page in a room
    Last week, we looked at the 4 purposes of prayer
    Act of dedication
    Act of Communication
    Act of Supplication
    Act of Cooperation
    Some may say
    Prayer just doesn't work for me
    I don't believe in it
    Why are there so few answers?
    Does God promise to answer everyone's prayers?
    No, He ignores some.
    Why?

    Five Conditions For Answered Prayer

    You Must Have an Honest Relationship With God

    John 15:7, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.”
    Every promise has a premise
    I will give if you remain
    How to remain? By having God's word in you
    God requires us to listen to Him first, so He will listen to us
    Bible Study is important. The more you understand the Bible, the more effective your prayer life
    3 questions to ask in evaluating your honest relationship with God
    Do I or have I refused to admit things I've done wrong in the past?
    Unconfessed Sin - an activity, attitude, or habit
    It breaks our connection with God.
    When we cover up things our honest relationship is broken
    Ps. 66:18 If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;
    Isa 59:2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
    Prov. 28:13 He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
    1 John 1:8-9, “lf we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
    Confession is being honest with God. Saying you are right, I was wrong, please forgive me
    Am I currently ignoring any of God's principles?
    If l'm doing something God doesn't want me to do , I'm breaking the connection
    1 John 3:21-22, “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.”
    Promise to give anything we ask, condition - obey commands
    How can I keep all God's commands?
    God does not demand perfection, just obedience. He wants us to want to do right
    Do I really want God's will for my life?
    1 John 5:14 “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”
    According to His will
    It's a mistake to say is it your will that I ask for this
    Real issue should be, am I in God's will?
    Augustine said, "Love your God, do what you please", Why? Because you will want to please God
    How do you know you want God's will
    How eager are you to read the Bible?
    Bible reveals God's will.

    You Must Have a Forgiving Attitude For Other People

    Mark 11:24-25, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
    Outside of faith, the #1 thing related to prayer is forgiveness
    Resentment kills prayers
    Are you holding a grudge
    Matt 5:23-24, “So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.”
    Offering, wronged some one, go and make it right
    Can't say I love God and hate your brother
    Heb. 12:15, “Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many.”
    Lord's Prayer
    Forgive us and we forgive
    I want you to forgive me as much as I forgive everybody else
    Bitterness and resentment blocks prayer
    1 Peter 3:7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
    Marriage - easy to have resentment in families
    Disharmony in home blocks answer to prayers
    Pastor and Deacons - harmony in home, why? so prayer life won't be hindered

    You Must Be Willing To Share Results

    Prov. 21:13, “If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.”
    Sow and Reap principle
    Give and given to you
    Generosity - more you give the more God gives to you
    If ignore cries of needy, God ignores us
    He wants us to be like Him. We must be a blessing to other people
    1 John 3:22-23, “And receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.”
    Believe in Jesus and love one another
    Love = generosity
    Why have good health if only spent on you, why not help others
    Stewardship
    James 4:1-3, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”
    Motive is important
    Why you pray more important than what you pray

    You Must Believe God Will Answer

    James 1:5-7, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;”
    One kind of prayer God answers - Prayer of Faith
    Matthew 9:29 "... according to your faith..."
    What are you expecting God to do?
    Hebrews 11:6, “Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
    What is faith?
    Believe God can do it= Fact
    Believe God might do it = Hope
    Believe God will do it= Faith
    Faith is not desire, desire can lead to faith
    If God answered prayer some would have a heart attack
    We see so little because we expect so little
    According to faith, not education, willingness, family
    Plant a seed, it grows, it's a law of the universe
    Pray and believe and follow conditions, miracles happen, law of the universe

    You Must Pray In Jesus Name

    John 14:13, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.” Then in John 16:24, “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”
    Must pray in Jesus name
    What's so special about Jesus name?
    It's not a sign-off
    Or a mystical password
    Pastor, son and friends, to carnival, bought tickets, saw boy didn't know, not part of party. Asked him why should he give him one, boy turned and pointed to son and your son said you would give me one.
    God doesn't owe me anything
    I come before Him not on my merit, but on Christ's merit
    He said I could ask based on what He did on the Cross
    Christ is the only mediator between man and God
    Is it necessary to say "Jesus name", no, if you have the attitude, but a good idea to remind you why you have the right to pray
    You pray to the Father through the Son

    So How Does This Work For Me Today?

    Which condition have you overlooked and have no answers to prayer
    Do you have a grudge against someone?
    Are you willing to share the results?
    Do you believe God will answer?
    Do you pray in Jesus name?
    Can't pray in Jesus name unless you know Him, do you have an honest relationship with God?
    Pray
    Salvation
    Believe in you
    Live these conditions
Parkland First Baptist Church
office@parklandfirst.com
253-531-0121
http://www.parklandfirst.com
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