Prayers : Part 4

"And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full ."

John 16:23,24

Artificial prayers are not pleasing to God. Last week we learned that God is looking for the true worshippers – those who worship in spirit and in truth. Jesus said that truth delivers people (John 8). Through this series, I am looking for people to be free to pray.

Doing anything “just because” or because it’s “tradition” typically means there is no understanding behind it. As Jesus said, tradition and ceremony will strip the power right out of prayer. Doing things to fit in or for the sake of doing them, will water down and dilute God in the minds of people. Jesus dealt with this principle of going with tradition to appease people in Matthew 15:1-9.

There is a lot of tradition around prayer. When someone is asked to pray in public, have you ever noticed the change in the tone of voice? Or all of a sudden they begin to use Old English? God isn’t impressed by waxing eloquent! I bring this up because prayer is so powerful that we cannot allow the enemy to insert tradition into it. We are to come boldly, reverently, confidently to His throne. Boldness is absent where doubt lingers. Knowing God’s answer (His will) before you pray will give you the confidence to pray.

Prayer is us connecting with the Father.
Take the formality and ritual out of prayer. Talk with the Father which will make prayer alive instead of a ritual.

Matthew 16:23, 24; Matthew 6:5 –Where ever you lose relationship, you fall into tradition. Christ called us to relationship to deliver us from tradition and religion.

When you stop praying, you lose focus on the relationship. Never forget that you are the child and God is the Father. Don’t allow yourself to think that God is a bad parent by using “vain repetitions”! God is anticipating your prayers – He wants to hear from you so He can answer you! Prayer keeps you in right relationship with the Father; it is our lifeline to the Kingdom. Do you think you can ever ask for anything that God cannot handle? Are you asking in the way God has asked that we come? You must pray believing. Just because you can form the words and say them doesn’t mean you believe them.

When should we pray?
Psalm 55: 16, 17 – In this passage, we are given spaces of time, not specific times of the day. Here is my advice: release yourself from the bondage to pray at a specific time. It doesn’t matter when you call God – just call! Just start praying and don’t stop. Do not allow your circumstance to determine when you pray. Pray to change your circumstance!

Romans 12: 12; Hebrews 11:6 – Pray diligently. Pray all the time. Prayer is connection, not just to ask for stuff all the time. Just talk with the Father – tell Him how good He is! There is no greater disciple than grace. Man loves religion because it tells you the Do’s and Don’ts. Just be about pleasing God. Faith makes prayer work, not the other way around.

Daniel 6:10 – Daniel was diligent in prayer and his account shows us the power of prayer. Don’t cave in, be a witness to your friends and the world.