Sermon Tone Analysis

Title: Connecting in Prayer

Theme: Five Truths to Success in Prayer

Series: Grasping the Foundational Truths of Prayer

“If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”

(John 15: 7)

When the child of God understands and submits to the Lord in Biblical prayer, he will find himself obeying God’s instructions to “pray continually”

Every child of God has gone through a dry period in prayer and some have never really been able to fully enjoy the success in prayer that the Lord Jesus wants them to experience.

Many do not know what the heart attitude should be in coming to the Lord in prayer.

Others have discovered that prayer can change their life and allow them to participate in the most powerful ministry there is.

It has been one of the key ministries that has delivered nations, brought healing into lives and brought souls to Christ.

I would propose to you that when the child of God understands and submits to the Lord in Biblical prayer, he will find himself obeying God’s instructions to “pray continually.”

(1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Just what are five Biblical truths that enable the child of God to enjoy success in prayer?

If Christians submit and cling to these truths, they can expect to see God, answer their prayers in a way that will glorify Jesus Christ in and through their lives.

The thrust to being successful in prayer is beautifully presented in the key word “remain” or better translated as “abide” in the New American Standard Bible.

Therefore, it is a necessity that we understand what Jesus meant when He said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you…” To “abide” (ménō) as it is used in John 15:7 gives us the idea that the child of God has a heart that studies and learns the Word of God.

This Christian’s thoughts, desires and motivations are birthed forth as he prayerfully reads the Bible.

The application is that he remains united with Jesus Christ in mind, heart and will.

It also has a command to hold on, to continue on, to keep obeying, to live on and rest in the everlasting loving arms of Christ.

The purpose for this type of living is to cleanse the heart so as to do away with selfish prayers.

The connection in “abiding” is maintained by obedience to the written Word of God.

I realize that analogies are imperfect, but let me try to use some human circumstances to bring some application into abiding in Christ.

Suppose there is a Christian who is easily overcome by temptation.

Then suppose that there is another Christian who sees this brother continually falling and he intervenes by moving in with him.

The stronger brother is always right there to make sure he does not fall into slumber, makes sure that he is eating the right foods, sleeping at the proper times and getting back a forth to work at the right time.

Thus, the weaker Christian is unable to be overcome by his temptation, because the stronger Christian is always right there protecting and giving strength to the weaker brother.

As long as the stronger Christian keeps that contact the weaker Christian lives victoriously.

However, as soon as contact is broken in any way that temptation rears its head again and defeat is at hand.

Defeat is sure, because the fact is that Christians cannot defeat the flesh, the world and discern the lies of the devil without the help of the eternal Friend, Jesus Christ, who sticks closer than a brother.

Just as the weaker Christian needed the constant intervention of the stronger Christian, the child of God needs the constant intervention of the Spirit of Christ intervening in his life.

The fact is there are those people who just can’t keep themselves pulled out of the gutter.

I know of a man named, Jim Carr.

He went into the streets of Kansas City, MO. and found a down and outer on the streets.

He took him into his house, cleaned him up, fed him good food, and then he taught this homeless man all he knew about the business that he was in.

The man did well, prospered, got his own home, and after a season of being away from the protecting hand of Jim Carr, he fell right back in to the gutter.

He went back into the streets of Kansas City, MO.

The fact is, unless Christians are abiding in Christ and abiding in His words, they will not have the spiritual strength to keep themselves out of the gutter of the flesh, the world, and lies of the devil.

Jesus Christ is the only one who can bring deliverance and the Word of God is the only food that can make and keep them spiritually healthy.

The Word of God is like that picture of the man, who helped another man get victory over sin.

There was a preacher who was known as, Robertson of Brighten who helped a Mr. Kingsley recognize the dangers of sin and showed him the joys of honest living.

The man became successful and was known by many as being honest, upright and dependable.

When asked how he was able to build and keep such a good name, the man said, “Whenever I was tempted to fall into wrong practices, I would just run to the picture of Pastor Robinson and the temptation was defeated.

That picture reminded me that I have a friend.”

The Word of God reveals to all that they have a Friend who gave His very life, for the redemption of mankind and He rose from the dead so Christians can have victory over sin and death.

The connection is sacrificial love and abiding in Christ.

It involves having a Biblical picture of what Jesus has and will do for you.

Our Biblical picture of abiding is found in the relationship that Jesus had with His Father.

Jesus was in contact with God; again and again Jesus withdrew into a solitary place to meet with God in prayer.

Christians must follow the example of Christ.

They must deliberately take steps to establish and maintain a constant relationship with the Lord Jesus.

By arranging life so as to be prayerfully reading and studying the Word of God so they can give attention to it.

They must be continuously in prayer, throughout the day, so they can meditate on what Jesus is telling them to get done.

They must be in humble prayer asking for the will to obey and the strength to endure.

A final note on this important topic is that there are foundational truths that must be grasped in having success in abiding in Christ.

One, the Christian must enrich his own life by having an ongoing surrendered relationship with Jesus Christ.

Two, his prayers are to be for the glory of Jesus Christ alone.

As he prays with this in his mind and heart, the results of his prayer life turn men’s hearts to God and Christ.

There are three questions that are constantly asked by those who are successful in prayer.

1.) Do I admit and confess the wrong that the Holy Spirit reveals to me is offensive to the Lord? 1 John 1:8 says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”

2.) Am I presently ignoring God’s Word and avoiding His Biblical principles for living? 1 John 3:21-22 says, “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.” 3.) Do I really want to surrender to God’s will for my life? 1 John 5:14-15 says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.”

You must have a faith that Christ will answer your prayer in accordance to His Father’s will and you must have a forgiving attitude toward others

The first step to Christians connecting with God in prayer is to be honest with themselves.

Do they live in a way that reflects a life of abiding in Christ?

Jesus Christ gives us another truth to connecting with God in prayer.

He says in 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.”

One, you must have a faith that Christ will answer your prayer in accordance to His Father’s will and two, you must have a forgiving attitude toward others.

Number one characteristic to being successful in prayer is to have faith and the second is to have a forgiving heart.

Jesus is very direct on this matter of forgiveness, because resentment will kill your ability to keep your mind and heart steadfast during prayer.

In Matthew 6 Jesus taught that when we pray we should ask, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

(Matthew 6:12) Christians can not hold unforgiveness in their hearts and expect to enjoy success and remain connected to God in prayer.

A heart that can forgive others is a heart that receives forgiveness from God and keeps itself aright in prayer.

The Christian who wants to be successful in prayer must learn what Jesus taught Andrew Lang.

Andrew Lang was a famous Scottish man of letters.

He once wrote a very kind review of a book that was written by a young man who thought of nothing but himself.

The young man repaid Mr. Lang with a bitter and insulting attack.

About three years later Robert Bridges, a poet saw Mr. Lang reading a book.

Robert Bridges said, “Why, that is another book written by that ungrateful young writer who behaved so shamefully to you.”

To the astonishment of Mr. Bridges, Andrew Lang’s mind was a blank on the whole matter.

Andrew Lang had completely forgotten the bitter and insulting attack.

Robert Bridges wrote, “To forgive is the sign of a great man, but to forget is sublime.

Nothing but the cleansing Spirit of Christ can take from these memories of ours the old bitterness that we must forget.”

Do you rely on the Holy Spirit to cleanse your heart and keep the root of bitterness out so you can be successful and connect in prayer to God?

What is our purpose to having God answer the prayers we pray?

Being connected in prayer means that you must have a compassionate heart to the needs of those who cry out for help.

Proverbs 12:13 says, “If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.”

There is a fact of life, if Christians expect God to bless them, they must be willing to bless those who have needs with whatever God has given them.

Jesus wants us to be like Him and His view of the church is found in James 1:27 and it says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows…” If Christians ignore those who have obvious needs, what right do they have to praying to God about their own needs?

Obedient Christians are God’s channels to meeting the needs of the poor in a way that draws attention to Christ.

The reason you should ask God to bless your business or bless you in the work place is so that you cannot only provide for yourselves.

But so you can bless Him and reach out to the needs of the poor.

I recently read a story about a man who was a multi-multi-multi- millionaire.

Pastor Rick Warren had visited with this man who just a few years ago went bankrupt.

After going through this severe trial this man received the Holy Spirit gift of giving.

He allowed the Holy Spirit to give him the revelation of hilarious giving, which is New Testament teaching.

This man now gives 97% of his income to the Lord’s work, which includes meeting the needs of the poor.

He lives on 3% of his income and still lives a higher standard of life than most of the people in this country.

He found the necessity of obedience to the tithe, then, he was illuminated to the truth that he could not out give God.

He went from the joyful surrender of 10% to 20% to 30% and is now at 97% and he lives a very wealthy life style.