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']]}Prayer - Pray without ceasing
TOPIC : PRAYER IV Date: Tues 9th April,2019
TEXTUAL SOURCES:
1TH5:17: Pray without ceasing.
Rom12:12: Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.
Col4:2: Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving .
Eph6:18: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
INTRODUCTION
In this teaching on prayer we have so far looked into what Jesus said and taught about prayer and we have also said beyond asking for things (as we have been learning so far), Prayer is fellowship; when we pray we allow our minds to know the plans, purpose and desires of God.
And we have said that our learnings on prayer is aimed at making us pray more effectively. So as said learning how to pray cannot substitute praying itself. So see that you are praying effectively and as the scriptures instruct; always.
LESSON OUTLINE
LUKE 18:1-14
Having understood from the previous classes that Jesus didn't teach "Keep asking" but "ask and it shall given". What then is the meaning of this parable? Is it about asking God over and over again such that when He is tired of you asking, He would then answer you? or what exactly is He saying? To understand this you must recall what we said about parables in our previous class; the meaning of a parable can best be explained by the one who gave it. So the question is what did Jesus say about this parable?
Vs6-8:And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
The word avenge here talks about vindication; in this context, it is used for to be loosed from oppression, to grant justice or to justify. So Jesus was not teaching about prayer . Justification comes by faith in Christ Jesus. Rom5:1
Matt6:7 :But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
"...use not vain repetitions as the heathens...'' Who are the heathens? Eph2:11-12; they are those without a relationship with the Heavenly Father. So their prayer is for this very reason; not having a relationship. Vs8:Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. But he said your Heavenly Father, and Glory to God the believer has God as their Father;Romans8:15-16, Gal4:5-6. So the believer ought not to pray "..., heaping up phrases (multiply words, repeating the same ones over and over) as the Gentiles do..."before they would be heard. So you are heard not because of what you said or how you said it. So this again settles the issue of unanswered prayers because God would hear and according to what we have learnt He is a good giver.
JAMES 1:1-7
Vs5-6:If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
Here we see that the only obstruction in prayer is in receiving and not God giving. So to receive you must ask in faith. Jesus also said something similar about this;
Mk 11:24; Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them
Mt 21:22; And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
So Jesus never taught any hindrance to prayer except but to believe so as to have that asked and the believer is so called because he believes so believing is not an issue with him except to know the ability of God.
CONCLUSION
Jn16:24;Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. So we ask for our joy to be full ie we ask to be happy. Brethren, you can never pray too much so keep praying.
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