The Importance of Prayer in the Life of the Believer: Prayer Helps Overcome

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by Harvest Partners, helping people everywhere know God. If you would like to know how you can become a Harvest Partner, just go to Harvest.org.

That's Harvest.org. Today Pastor Greg Laurie helps us control the chase. So you know in the middle of the night when those worries come in like flaming arrows, right there? Turn your worries into prayers. Some of us are major league warriors and minor league prayers.

Today we'll help you change leagues. Pastor Greg Laurie is presenting a series called What Every Growing Christian Needs to Know. And today we focus on prayer. Glad you're along here on A New Beginning as we investigate the proper role of prayer in a healthy believer's life. Well see God even provides a model for effective prayer. And to neglect prayer is to rob ourselves of His power and peace.

So let's review what we've learned and then we'll pick up. If you want to be a growing Christian you must have a prayer life. Ephesians 6.18 says we should pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. Notice it says pray always with all prayer. You can pray in any position at any time anywhere. The main thing is pray.

Ok so let's answer question number one. Why should I pray? Why should I pray? Simple answer. Because Jesus told you to. You really don't need any more answer than that.

But I will give you a few more reasons. But Jesus said in Luke 18 one, Men are always to pray and not give up. And by the way Christ Himself was a model of prayer. He was always praying. In the Garden of Gethsemane as He is contemplating the horrors of the cross He is praying, Father if it is possible let this cup pass from Me. On the cross He is praying for His enemies saying, Father forgive them for they know not what they do. Before He raised Lazarus from the dead we read in John chapter 11 He looked up to heaven and prayed, Father thank You that You hear Me. And then He shouted, Lazarus come forth. Before Jesus fed the five thousand we read He looked up to heaven and asked God's blessing on the food. Mothers would bring their children to Jesus so He would lay His hands on them and pray for them. Now listen. If Jesus felt the need to pray how much more should we feel it?

Point number two. We should pray because prayer is God's appointed way for obtaining things. That's right. Prayer is God's appointed way for obtaining things. That is not the only purpose of prayer. That is not the only reason we should pray. But having said that the Bible does say in James 4 to you have not because you what? Ask not. See if you don't ask God for it there may be times in your life when you don't have what you need. Did it ever occur to you that you have this sickness and you have never actually asked the Lord to heal you? No. I think you know that I don't believe God heals everybody.

But at the same time He does heal some. And it is possible you could be ill and you continue to be ill and you have never actually prayed and said Lord would you heal me of this? You might have financial challenges and you don't know why the bills are always unpaid and you don't know why you are always struggling.

Question. Have you prayed about it? Have you said Lord would you provide for me right now? Could it be that you have not because you ask not? Well maybe you find that you never have the opportunity to lead others to Christ. Those doors never open up for you.

Here is a thought. Could it be that you have not because you ask not? Prayer is the way that we obtain things from God. We always say Lord if this is not your will don't give this thing to me.

But if it is please do. Because the Bible promises that my God will supply all of my needs according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus. It doesn't say He will supply all of my greed. But it says He will supply all of my needs. So that is how we obtain things from God.

Here is another one. Prayer is the way by which God helps us to overcome our anxiety and worry. Prayer is the way by which God helps us overcome our anxiety and worry. And life is full of worry isn't it? I mean I could talk for 25 minutes about all the things going on in our crazy world. You know all the threats that we face and the dangers we face. But how about just your life? Just your own personal challenges. Life is full of troubles. There are health troubles. There are family troubles.

There are financial troubles. But it has been said if your knees are shaking kneel on them. So here is what the Bible says about that. Philippians 4 says these are verses every believer should commit to memory. Don't worry about anything but pray about everything.

And it goes on to say and if you do this the peace of God that passes all human understanding will keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. How many of you ever worry? You worry. Ok. You know I worry too. And worry is not a virtue by the way.

Sometimes we may think it is. I heard about a guy that was a real worry warrior. Always worrying.

Worrying. And finally he just stopped. And one of his friends said yeah I notice you don't worry anymore. The guy says I don't worry anymore. His friend said what's your secret? The guy says I hired someone to worry for me.

Really? How did you find a guy like that? Took an ad out in the paper.

Wanted someone to worry for me. What do you pay a guy to do that? I pay him five thousand dollars a day.

Wow. That is a lot of money. You don't have that kind of money.

How are you going to pay him? He says that is for him to worry about. Well if that doesn't work try praying instead. It says if you will pray about it instead of worrying about it God's peace will keep your heart and mind. And the word there for keep means to protect or to mount a guard.

And the wording that Paul uses sort of describes a Roman sentry. Like a Roman guard guarding the room. Guarding the heart. Paul says if you pray about it instead of worrying about it God will put a guard around your heart. And your heart will have peace. So you know in the middle of the night when those worries come in like flaming arrows.

Right there. Here is what you do. Lord I give every one of these to you. Turn your worries into prayers. Because that is how God helps us overcome our anxiety and worry. Also prayer is one of the ways in which we make ourselves ready for the return of Christ. Prayer is one of the ways by which we make ourselves ready for the return of Christ. Luke 21 Jesus says, Take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing and drunkenness and the cares of this life so that the day of the Lord comes upon you unexpectedly. Watch therefore and pray always that you will be worthy to escape these things. Speaking of His coming Jesus said in Mark 13, Of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed therefore and watch and pray, for you don't know when the hour is.

So prayer is not an option for the believer. We need direction in life. You all have heard of Yogi Berra. Not Yogi Berra. Yogi Berra. And Yogi was known for his amazing statements. It was Yogi that coined the phrase it ain't over till it's over. And sometimes the things he said seemed to contradict themselves but they were really quite clever. One of the Yogi Berra's statements was quote, If you don't know where you're going you might wind up someplace else.

I love that. But you know there is some truth there. If you don't know where you're going you might wind up someplace else.

Yeah that's true. So we need direction from God don't we? We need to pray for His will to be revealed to us.

Here is a way to sort of sum it up. When you pray about something God may say no. Consider this. If the request is wrong God says no. If the timing is wrong God says slow.

If you are wrong God says grow. But if the request is right and the timing is right and you are right God says go. Want to hear that again? No. Ok I'll say it again.

Here we go. If the request is wrong God says no. If the timing is wrong God says slow.

If you are wrong God says grow. But if the request is right and the timing is right and you are right God says go. Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment. Hearing about listeners who found Jesus through Pastor Greg's teaching is so encouraging. Hi Pastor Greg. Early last year I found the Lord and accepted Him there at Harvest Christian Fellowship.

Before that if someone had told me that I would be a believer in Christ I wouldn't have believed them. God is so good. My best to you and your family. If you've had your life changed through Pastor Greg's teaching would you let him know? Just drop him an email at Greg at Harvest dot org. Again that's Greg at Harvest dot org. Well today Pastor Greg is presenting a message called, The Importance of Prayer in the Life of the Believer.

Available at Harvest dot org. Pastor Greg continues now. So are there secrets to answered prayer?

Well yes and no. I mean if you think this book is a secret maybe there are. If you've never opened the user's manual of life then I guess it's a secret. But the fact is God has proclaimed very clearly in Scripture how to have our prayers answered in the affirmative. He gives us principles to follow. And probably the greatest example of that is a template He gave that we call the Lord's Prayer. And that is not like the prayer to pull out in case of emergency. Though there is nothing wrong with praying the Lord's Prayer.

But it is more than that. The Lord's Prayer is not just a prayer to pray. It is a template for prayer.

It is a model for prayer. Again remember Jesus gave this prayer in response to the request of His disciples who said, You know what? John taught his disciples to pray.

Lord teach us to pray. So He gave them this prayer. Now if you want to get real technical this really isn't the Lord's Prayer. And by that I mean Jesus never prayed the prayer we are about to read. This is not a prayer He needed to pray because He never sinned.

Thus He did not have to ask for forgiveness from the Father. It has been called the Lord's Prayer. The Bible never calls it the Lord's Prayer. It is traditionally known this way.

So I will refer to it as such. If you want to read the Lord's Prayer. If you want to read the prayer that only Jesus could pray in your spare time read John 17. That is your homework assignment.

Read it all the way through. That is the Lord's Prayer. But this is our prayer. This could be called the disciples' prayer. The believers' prayer. But we will call it the Lord's Prayer because that is how it is known.

And it is Luke chapter 11. And we are going to read verses 1 to 4. Now it came to pass as He was praying in a certain place. When He seized one of His disciples said to Him, Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his disciples. And He said to them, When you pray say, Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we also forgive everyone who has sinned against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Notice how the Lord's Prayer begins. Our Father who art in heaven.

Before a word of personal petition is offered I just sit back for a moment and contemplate the awesomeness of God. I am speaking to the almighty God. The everlasting Father. The Creator of the universe.

But here is the good news. He is not just the Father. He is your Father.

He is your Father in heaven. Here is a good acronym to keep in mind when you are thinking of how to pray. It is ACTS. A C T S. Aren't you impressed I can spell acts? But it is an acronym. A stands for adoration. C stands for confession.

T stands for thanksgiving. S stands for supplication. So what I am saying is when you pray it is always good to start with A adoration.

Before you get to petition. Before you get to supplication. If you have the luxury of some time begin with adoration.

Contemplating the greatness and awesomeness of God. A for adoration. C for confession. Confess your own personal sin.

T for thanksgiving. And then ask supplication praying for others. So our Father who art in heaven.

So here we have principle number one. If you want your prayers answered in the affirmative you must pray according to the will of God. If you want your prayers answered in the affirmative. In other words if you want God to say yes to you when you pray. Pray according to the will of God. Jesus modeled this for us when He taught us to pray. Our Father who art in heaven. Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.

Your will be done. Now some would teach something contrary to this. They would say when you pray you tell God what you want. And you ask it by faith.

And you don't doubt it. And you speak it into existence. Because your faith is a force. And you harness the force of faith. And you pray this boldly to God. I even heard one teacher say don't ever pray. Not my will but yours be done.

Ok. Whatever. You are wrong if you hold that view. I am going to go with Jesus on this one if you don't mind. In fact I think I am going to go with Jesus on all of it. In Jesus God in human form taught me to pray.

My Father who art in heaven. Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done.

On earth as it is in heaven. Here is what I have learned about myself. I don't always know what is right.

Big revelation. Sometimes I think I do. But a lot of times I have it all wrong. So I am so glad that my Father who knows all things and has my best interests at heart will sometimes overrule my prayers for my own good. Lord I want this. The Lord says no. No. That is not what you want Greg.

Your brain is the size of a little grain of sand ok. I am going to do this for you instead. You will thank me later. Trust me.

And I do. Never be afraid to ask God to overrule your prayer if it happens to be outside of His will. You know sometimes God answers our prayer differently than we thought He would. I heard about three men who were going through a forest and they came to a large raging violent rushing river. They wanted to get to the other side.

So they decided to pray. The first guy prayed for strength to cross the river. Suddenly boom boom his arms were big and muscular and his legs too and he swam across the river. He almost drowned. It took him about two hours. But he barely made it. But he got to the other side. Second guy.

This is a true story by the way. I was there. I saw it. No. I think you know this is a joke right.

Just so you know. Second guy. He sees what happens to the first guy. He prays. He says, Alright Lord I pray for the strength and the tools to cross the river.

He too has strong muscular arms and legs. But God gives to him a boat and a paddle and it takes him about an hour to get across. He capsized twice. But he made it.

Third guy is watching this. He says, Lord I pray you give me the strength and the tools but most of all the intelligence to cross the river. Poof. He turned into a woman. She looked at the map.

Hiked upstream 100 yards and walked across the bridge. Aren't you girls glad you came to church tonight? So you see. Here's the objective of prayer.

The objective of prayer is not to get God to do what I want him to do. God I love you. I have a wonderful plan for your life. Come over here.

You know sometimes my grandkids want to take me places. Like Christopher. He's the little guy. He'll grab my hand. He's pulling me. I'm like this you know. And he takes me upstairs because he wants me to play with the train.

Or he wants me to do something else. He has this little plan. And that's what we're like. God come on. Come on. Come on. This is what I want. Here's what we're going to do.

But look. That's not the objective of prayer. The objective of prayer is saying, Lord where are you going because I want to go there too.

What do you think about this because I want to think that too. What is your will in this because I want that to be my will too. And so I want to get in alignment with God. And when I find God's will and I start praying accordingly I will start seeing my prayers answered in the affirmative. The problem is I'm often out of God's will and sometimes even praying prayers that are contrary to his will. First John 5 14 says, this is the confidence we have in him. If we ask anything according to his will he hears us and we have the petitions desired of him.

Listen to this. Nothing lies outside of the reach of prayer except that which lies outside of the will of God. God will only answer the request that he inspires. You see prayer is surrender. It's surrender to the will of God and it's cooperation with that will. You say well I don't know.

That's kind of a drag. Why even pray? Because God wants you to be a part of the process.

So here's how it works. God puts a burden on your heart. Maybe it's for a loved one. Maybe it's to pray for the salvation of someone. Maybe it's to pray for some other thing but he puts this burden on your heart. And you pray and then you see God do the impossible and answer that prayer. And you say man I am a powerful man of prayer.

No you're just, you serve a powerful God and you got in sync with him that's all. So we need to be praying. Pastor Greg Laurie with practical encouragement today about the powerful privilege of praying to our powerful God. Glad you've joined us today here on A New Beginning. And listen if you'd like to hear this insight again or maybe you missed a word or two of our study you can listen online at harvest.org. Just look for the title The Importance of Prayer in the Life of the Believer. Or for a permanent copy on CD just call 1-800-821-3300.

That's a 24-7 phone number 1-800-821-3300. Well it's a real thrill to have baseball great Darrell Strawberry with us. We're making available his brand new book called Turn Your Season Around. And you know Darrell I'm sure you can see God's hand on your life. You know protecting you in the bad times and certainly giving you the talent to reach the highest heights in your sports career. Do you think you were born for the game or did God just help you sort of bloom where you were planted? I was born to play baseball. I was gifted to play all type of sports. But baseball I just had an eye for and I had that one on one competition that I like. I liked looking down at a pitcher on the mound who's staring at me and just feel like he could just throw a fastball by me.

And I said it's not going to happen. And that was really a big thing about who I was and everything. And I think baseball taught me about the man that I would become in my faith.

Because baseball is all about discipline. You got to train yourself. You got to be disciplined. And I remember when the Lord called me.

He says okay you played baseball for all those years. You know how you got there. You were very disciplined. So you have to do the same thing and discipline yourself in the biblical principles. You have to learn how to train yourself and learn how to study. You learn how to saturate yourself in the word.

You learn how to separate yourself from everybody. Baseball was the same way. I had to separate myself from everybody when I had to go train and work out by myself. I had to go to the ball field. I had to go run the bases. I had to go talk to myself.

Go on first to third with nobody around. And it's the same way in God's word. You got to get in that quiet place and do the things that you need to do to be able to hear God. Because you can't hear God if there's a lot of noise around. I can't hear the crowd when I was working out. So I would eventually hear the crowd when I'm playing.

But I would blank them out because I was used to working out on my own and running the bases, going first and third and being on the on-deck circle and scoring and doing all the things I did on the baseball field. So that's basically what I did in my journey with God. I just bought my journey from baseball and God used the gift that I had in baseball to do the same thing coming into ministry to bring about discipline. And it just brought me to a greater place and greater understanding just like I was when I was playing baseball with the word of God as being able to spend that quality time you have to make that time by yourself not with anyone else.

I think a lot of times people think you have to do it with everybody else. No, the church is important. It's important to go to church and have your notepad and your Bible and write down notes and take it back home and eat on it after the pastor feeds you. I did a lot of that when I started growing and to the man that God wanted me to be. But the baseball part of knowing who I was gonna be I had confidence in that so I had to have the same kind of confidence going into my spiritual walk. You know the apostle Paul seemed to be a bit of a sports fan himself because he used sports analogies a lot and one thing that he said is that one who is an athlete and fighting he needs to discipline himself. And that's what you're talking about.

You disciplined yourself and that prepared you for when the game was actually happening. And one definition I heard of the Christian life is long obedience in the same direction. You know some people live from experience to experience and the reality is there are times you'll have an emotional experience and there are times when you won't but you get up each and every day and live the Christian life by faith. And so we want to send you a copy of Darryl's brand new book that is called Turn Your Season Around, subtitled How God Transforms Your Life. It was my privilege to write the forward for this new book by Darryl and we want to get you your own copy that we will send to you for your gift of any size to help us continue to teach God's word and to proclaim the gospel. Yeah that's right and your investment is so important as we work toward the goal of reaching more people than we ever have before. You know more than 150,000 people made professions of faith through Pastor Greg's ministry last year but we're wanting to reach even more with this life-changing good news. And your investment right now will help change lives.

So when you send your donation today be sure to ask for the new book Turn Your Season Around. You can write us at a new beginning, Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514. Or call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300.

Or go online to Harvest.org. Well next time, Pastor Greg has more insight on prayer and its valuable place in the life of a healthy believer. It's insight from the series What Every Growing Christian Needs to Know. Be sure to tune in. This is the day, the day when life begins The preceding message from Greg Laurie was made possible by Harvest Partners helping people everywhere know God. Sign up for Pastor Greg's free daily email devotions at harvest.org.