Importance of Consistent Prayer

Intro: As we prioritize our time spent with God, we will be given new strength, deeper peace, and greater wisdom not only for ourselves but also for others. May we create and maintain a daily consistent practice of prayer and watch things change for the better.                                Consistent prayer is important because;

I. It is what God ordained for His people. Jeremiah 33:3 'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.' God challenges us to call to Him for understanding. God promised to answer by revealing great and unsearchable things. We need His wisdom for the challenges of life! God has established prayer as the means by which we receive his supernatural help. And without supernatural help, we cannot live a life worthy of the gospel. Everything that distinguishes Christians from the world in a Christ-exalting way is a work of God’s supernatural grace, And God has ordained that this grace flows to us through prayer. James 4:2b (NLT) ^2b  You don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.

II. Consistent prayer is the way we receive from God. [Luke 11:9-10 (NLT) ⁹  “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰  For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

III. Consistent prayer helps my faith to grow. Mark 11:22-24 ²²  So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. ²³  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

IV. Consistent prayer helps us draw closer to God. James 4:7-8 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ⁸  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. We draw closer to God when we submit to Him and take time to consistently pray!

V. Consistent prayer helps us to trust God more. Proverbs 3:5-6 ⁵  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; ⁶  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. We acknowledge God when we go to Him in prayer. Consistent prayer shows our trust is in God to lead and direct our path thru this life.

VI. Consistent bold prayer releases God's mercy and grace. Hebrews 4:14-16 (NLT)¹⁴  So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. ¹⁵  This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. ¹⁶  So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Jesus has turned the throne of God from one of judgment into a throne of grace. Therefore, "let us come boldly before the throne of grace." Jesus provided the way, so let us do it. God's throne is now a throne of mercy and grace; it is now opened up for any person to approach. Let us approach God through Jesus Christ. Prayer is more powerful than the laws of nature that rule the universe today. When we learn to pray faith-filled prayers, we release God's might and power and bring Him on the scene on our behalf or on behalf of others. Under the New Covenant we have with God, sealed by the blood of Jesus Christ, we have a legal right to enter the throne room of God.

Conclusion: We can stand in God's presence without fear and be completely free from a sense of guilt. We can ask God to intervene supernaturally in our behalf, our families, our church, our nation and the nation of Israel. Prayer changes things! Prayer is designed to work in every area of life. Prayer isn't limited by time or distance. Consistent effective prayer using God's Word to guide us will destroy the kingdom of darkness and release the awesome power of God in the earth. May we determine to use consistent prayer to obtain victory over Satan and the obstacles and difficulties in life.

Invitation: If you have never prayed and asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins, simply confess to Him you are a sinner and ask Him to forgive you and save you from hell and for heaven. Then go to church and be baptized to show you are sincere about your faith in Jesus as your Savior and Lord. You will be so thankful you did.

Words to Live By

 

Scripture Text

Mark Chapter 5

Intro: No matter what situation you are in or what you are facing now or what you might face in the future, Jesus has some words of truth that you and I can live by. Jesus’ words will never fail you! He is the same yesterday, today and forever! What He speaks He brings to pass! He can not lie because He is the truth!

I. The problem. Mark 5:22-23 (NLT) ²²  Then a leader of the local synagogue, whose name was Jairus, arrived. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet, ²³  pleading fervently with him. “My little daughter is dying,” he said. “Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can live.” V: 35 (NLT) While he was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. They told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.” Jairus’ daughter was sick and he approached Jesus for help. While Jesus was speaking to the woman who had an issue of blood, his servants came and told him his daughter had died. This was a hopeless situation from a human point of view. I'm sure Jairus was saddened and thought now its too late, I've lost my daughter. Maybe you are going through a hopeless situation or circumstance right now.

II. Jesus reaction to our problems. Mark 5:36a NLT But Jesus overheard them talking. Messengers from Jairus’ house came with the word that his daughter was dead and Jesus heard them. Jesus had compassion on Jairus and was going to help him. He has compassion for us and is willing to help us. He tells us what we need to do. Jesus said to ask, seek, and knock on heaven’s door for all our needs. Luke 11:9-10 (NLT) ⁹ “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 1 Peter 5:7  Cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. When we pray, Jesus cares and hears our cry for help.

III. Jesus speaks words of faith. (Mark 5:36b) Don't be afraid,” Jesus knows our first reaction to a problem. Fear and faith can’t exist together. Fear cancels out faith! Fear paralyzes us, drags us down. Fear is all around us each and every day to some degree. How can we overcome fear? Jesus tells us how! “Only Believe.” (v:36b) Hymn we sing! All things are possible, only believe! Jesus says the way to handle our every problem is to have faith in Him and believe. Believe means to have complete confidence in the truth of Jesus' word. He only speaks truth. Believe also means to have a conviction that Jesus will be involved in a given situation. It means to have faith in the mercy, grace and compassion of Jesus. When we bring a problem to Jesus in prayer, we are to have trust and confidence that He has heard us, and He will take care of the problem. James 1:6-7 (NLT) ⁶ But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

IV. Jesus powerful words. Mark 5:41-42 (NLT) ⁴¹ Holding her hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means “Little girl, get up!” ⁴² And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed. Jesus demonstrated His great love and amazing power and raised Jairus' daughter from the dead, whereby showing us His great mercy and power. The angel Gabriel told Mary in (Luke 1:37) “nothing is impossible with God.” In Mark 9:23 There was a father who asked Jesus if He could do anything for his demon possessed son. Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."

Conclusion: May these words of truth and faith dwell in our hearts from this day forward. When we face problems in this world and we take them to God in prayer, may we be able to remember the words of Jesus in each situation. “Don’t be afraid, only believe.”

Invitation: Have you placed your faith and belief in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord? If not, confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you and save you from hell right now. “Don’t be afraid, only believe.” Invite Him into your life and know the love, peace and joy of sins forgiven!