“A Prayer Checkup”
Ps. 19:14
Our prayer life needs a checkup from time to time. Just as your car, heart or health, computer, etc. need to be checked out, so does your prayer life. You could find problems that you didn’t know existed. You then can fix them before they become very large and hard to fix. Some call it, Preventative Maintenance.
You should pray:
Personally A personal conversation with your Personal Savior
- Private Prayer (You and your Father) Matt.6:6 You need a special place with NO distractions, newspaper, TV, internet
You can have a personal conversation with the Lord with more people. Matt.18:20
- Family Prayer (small group) Acts 3:1 Peter and John, praying with friends and spouses.
- Public Prayer (congregation) Solomon, 1 Kings 8, dedicated the temple, be part of the prayer.
Watchfully
Matt.26:41 watch and pray
We should be looking for things to pray for.
- Present – current prayer needs at church and in your family
- Future – pray for your children’s future spouse, etc.
- Past, thankfully, for answered prayer Phlip.4:6, 1 Thes.5:18
Believingly
Mark 11:24 Believe that ye receive. God takes your prayers as seriously as you. Log answered prayer to help build faith. Remember that you rarely get the exact thing you asked for!
Unceasingly
1 Thes.5:17 without ceasing, don’t give up, sickness, salvation, reconciliation
Luke 18:1-7 always, not a comparison, but a contrast.
Heb.11:6, “a rewarder of them that diligently seek him”
Abidingly
John 15:7-8 You must be in the will of God Ps.66:18, no iniquity – 1 Jn.1:9 –CLEAN
Specifically
James 5:17-18 Prayed “that it might not rain”, not “Bless them… etc.
Effectually
James 5:16, “effectual fervent prayer…” Prayers that make a difference, like examples of praise reports on Wednesday nights.
Pray
To God the Father, John 16:23,17:1
In Jesus Name, John 16:23-24
With the Spirit of God, Eph.6:18, Rom. 8:26-27