The PROMISE of PRAYER

Out of all the things that Jesus did...stood his relationship with the Father. Jesus Prayed — As a boy — Temple — How to pray (only once a pattern for prayer) — Public — Private — For his disciples — Followers — Future believers — You and I

John 17

Jesus prayed when he needed wisdom, understanding, and strength — Prayed with confidence and even in desperation. There is no doubt that communicating with his father in heaven was essential to Jesus in his human life.

Jesus PRAYED...aren’t we then all the more in need of it?

(S2) —

Why do we find it difficult to pray?

Making it a priority — Fitting it in — Feeling inadequate —

Prayer Warriors — Spiritual Gift

Maybe its because we don’t fully understand the...

POWER — POTENTIAL — PROMISE

SERIES — BOOKS — AUDIO — GROUP — FOCUS

What can happen in our own lives, the church, and to the people around us, when there is power in agreement through prayer.

This weeks focus prayer — Where do YOU need the SPIRIT of God to BREAKTHROUGH in your life?

PRAYER

(S3) — The Promise of Prayer

Imagine you’ve gotten a diagnosis…end of life…what would you say to those you love?

Jesus’ s words...of FAREWELL — PREPARATION — COMFORT — PROMISE

The disciples not only feared the difficulties ahead…but that Jesus would no longer be physically present...

Grief — Losing a loved one — Empty spaces

“Jesus was about to finish his course, the way to the new era of salvation.” He assures them that they would not be left alone.

John 14:18 (NLT)

18 No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.

Providing the means of connection to him and God through the gift of the Holy Spirit and the promise of prayer.

(S4) —

John 14:16 (NLT)

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.

Advocate (Para - Kletos) — ‘One who is called to another’s side’ — Counselor — Helper

“I must depart so the Spirit might come.” (Cornerstone Commentary)

Everything they knew of Jesus…the most important was their relationship with him, one that would not end in death.

(S5) —

John 14:23 (NLT)

“All who love me …my Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.

Notice the plurality of Jesus’ words — Early church father “Tertullian in early third century — Trinity — 3 persons one God.”

Their connection to Jesus through the Holy Spirit, a gift from the father, would become personal!

Home (dwelling) — Jesus’ abiding presence in the Holy Spirit

(S6) —

The PROMISE of Prayer…is INTIMACY with God

One that could only be obtained by Jesus’ death.

Dad’s Relationship — Closer

Prayer then is the means to that INTIMATE connection, of FELLOWSHIP with all of God — Father, Son, and H.S.

“Is there any greater privilege than on this earth than to be in such intimate fellowship with the whole of God?” (Jim M. pg. 29)

Jesus was far away from home…He prayed because of His longing to be in the presence of His heavenly father…

The disciples too would long for their friend Jesus, and fellowship with the Spirit through prayer would become the means of this connection.

How can we experience the INTIMACY of prayer to find the needed spiritual breakthrough in our lives?

(S7)

1. Seeking TRUTH so we can KNOW Jesus!

John 14:17 (NLT)

He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.

The scriptures, old and new, always point to Jesus, as the source of truth?

Genesis 3:15 “And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.””

Truth is always in conflict with falsehood — Knowledge of Jesus always leads to truth

John 14:6 “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.

If you doubt seek TRUTH in prayer — Search the scriptures — But, be cautious, truth can be hidden in deception

John 7:52 “Are you from Galilee, too? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself—no prophet ever comes from Galilee!””

If you are RIGHT with the SPIRIT of God, you will always find TRUTH

John 5:39 “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!”

Searching for TRUTH means being HONEST with God…where do you need spiritual breakthrough in your life?

Seek Jesus in prayer — “Then you will KNOW the TRUTH, and the TRUTH will set you free.””

How can we experience the INTIMACY of prayer to find the needed spiritual breakthrough in our lives?

(S8) —

2. BELIEVING Jesus ALIVE is God with us!

John 14:18–20 (NLT)

No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. 19 Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. 20 When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

Physical seeing, after his resurrection — But there is more to this

John 1:29 “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

Mary saw Jesus — The disciples would see Jesus — Hundreds saw Jesus

We find breakthrough by BELIEVING the God we pray to is ALIVE

The problem with the church and Christianity is we have along with the world, HUMANIZED God — Clumped him in with all other religions — “Praying for you” has become a cliche , like the cross on a chain

When you pray to Jesus, you are not talking to a dead God!

God’s Not Dead — Movie

How can we experience the INTIMACY of prayer to find the needed spiritual breakthrough in our lives?

(S9) —

3. SURRENDERING our WILL to the LOVE of Jesus!

John 14:21 (NLT)

Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”

Problem in Jesus’ words — The receiving of the Holy Spirit is conditional — We don’t like conditions

Contract/loan/signup — Who reads the fine print...

We must be careful not to miss the fine print in bold! The condition to receiving the spirit is surrender to LOVE Jesus

“21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me.

It is impossible for the world (unbelievers) it does not “see” or “know” the Holy Spirit. The world lives only for what it can see and know, only for the physical and material, only for what it can touch and feel, taste and consume, think and use.

John 14:15 “If you love me, obey my commandments.” then I will ask the father...

The disciples would have to give their will for their lives over to loving Jesus

The Chosen — Peter says to his wife…I must leave and go with him

God’s greatest gift is Jesus

John 3:16 ““For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Jesus who surrendered his WILL for the LOVE of the Father...

John 14:23 “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.”

(S10) —

The PROMISE of PRAYER is INTIMACY with God — It means Seeking TRUTH so we can KNOW Jesus — Believing Jesus ALIVE is God WITH us — Surrendering our WILL to the LOVE of Jesus

Jesus would die so that we could live and enjoy a relationship with Him and God through the Spirit — In the promise of Prayer

When you pray, are you seeking TRUTH so you can grow to KNOW Jesus?

How does BELIEVING Jesus ALIVE is God with us change your perspective on prayer?

Are you willing to SURRENDER your WILL to the LOVE of Jesus

“Prayer is the nearest approach to God, and the highest enjoyment of Him, that we are capable of in this life.” William Law

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NLT) If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.