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Sermon for 7th February 2010 - Learning to Pray More like Jesus

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Learning to Pray More like Jesus

Luke 11:1-13
  • Disciples ask Jesus to teach them prayer
  • Prayer is the source of Christ’s power and authority
1. Be Clear and Simple (v.3)
  • "When you pray, say: ..." (v.3)
    • We make prayer more complicated
    • We make prayer a confession of anxiety
    • We make prayer dependent on feeling
Prayer is enforcing God’s will

Lie- ‘If I pray when I don’t feel like it, I’m a hypocrite’
Truth- When don’t feel like it, still pray= obedience
2. Be Persistent (v.5-10)
  • Parable on prayer:
    • Background- culture of hospitality
    • Keeping pressing
  • Contrast God and people.
    • Give up quickly
If you give up too quickly, you won’t discover what God has in store for you.
  • To pray effectively, need to have 3 things:
    • Character of God
    • Will of God
    • Who we are in God
  • Character of God- not like the neighbor, He is the God of how much more (generous & gracious)
  • 2nd negative respond- Change our belief
    If we change our belief we will not discover God’s character, will … promises
    • If prayer not answer- keep pressing on … is there area in my life that need to be put right
What is that you used to pray and has given up?
3. Be Spirit filled (v.11-13)
  • Shift from material things to the Holy Spirit
  • Pattern in OT
    • Troubles in Israel
    • God answered through the prophets- imagery
    • Ultimate answer is the Holy Spirit
  • In prayer- directly in God’s presence, the Holy Spirit gives answer
Numbers 6:22-27
  • This is how you are to pray for others:
    • “So they will put my (God’s) name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” (v.27)
    • This is our calling too, to be royal priesthood.
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Comments

  1. AnonymousFebruary 8, 2010 at 8:17 AM

    This are good pointers. Really appreciate the sermon notes.

    ReplyDelete

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