In Case of Emergency | The Lord's Guide to Prayer

We're glad you're joining us for A New Beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast supported by Harvest Partners. Get more encouraging audio content when you subscribe to Pastor Greg's Daily Devos.

Learn more and sign up at harvest.org. It won't change it necessarily, but it will change my perspective. Because listen to this, God is bigger than your problem. Are you facing a challenge right now? A trial? A tragedy? A crisis?

A loss? God knows what you're going through. He's concerned about what you're going through. And He has the power to get you through. But today on A New Beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie points out he wants us to come to him and ask for his help. Prayer is a vital part of surviving the toughest of challenges life throws our way.

And today Pastor Greg helps us pray effectively using the Lord's model for effective prayer. Have you ever been in what appeared to be an impossible situation with no way out? Let me restate that question. Are you in, right now, an impossible situation with no way out? Or have you ever desperately needed or even wanted something but it seemed there was no way you would ever have it?

Have you ever thought there was no future for you and for you it was just too late? If so, you need to know more about the power of God and what can take place through prayer. For one thing certainly stands out in the pages of Scripture is that prayer can dramatically change situations, people, and on occasion even the course of nature itself. But the thing that prayer changes the most is us. And who knows more about prayer than Jesus?

And so that's what we're going to look at here in just a moment. The disciples came to Him. They said, Lord, we have a question. Would You teach us how to pray? Jesus gave them this prayer which shows prayer is something that can be taught. You need to be taught how to pray. And sometimes you are taught by watching others do it. And you're taught, of course, by reading Scripture. And there's certain principles that you can engage when you pray. Now we call this the Lord's Prayer.

And there's nothing wrong with calling it that. The Bible never addresses it as such. I don't think it really was a prayer Jesus Himself prayed. You say, well, of course He did.

No, actually He didn't. Because Jesus would never need to pray, forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us because Jesus never sinned. If you want to read the real Lord's Prayer, the prayer that only Christ could pray, John 17, that is the Lord's Prayer.

It's rather long. It's a prayer only Christ could pray. This could better be described as the disciples' prayer or maybe the template for prayer.

But call it what you like. We think of it as the Lord's Prayer. It's a model for all prayer. I'm going to be reading from Matthew 6 verses 9 to 14.

And I'll tell you what. I want us all to do this out loud together. This is the New King James Version.

Let's read it together. In this manner, therefore, pray. Our Father 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 debts as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Isn't that a beautiful prayer? I love that. The Lord's Prayer.

Now we think of this maybe as the big gun. In case of emergency, break glass and pray this prayer. There's nothing wrong with that. If you're in a moment of crisis and you just say, Our Father who art in heaven, that's okay. You pray that prayer.

You're having a hard time getting to sleep at night. Just go through that prayer. Think about that prayer. Ponder that prayer.

That's all good. But it's not just the big gun, so to speak. It's not just the in case of emergency prayer. As I said, it's a model for prayer.

So here's point number one if you're taking notes. You have complete access to the Creator of the universe through prayer. You have complete and total access and all stage paths, if you will, to the Creator of the universe through prayer. Let's start at the beginning.

Our Father who art in heaven. So you just call Him and you say, Dad, I need to ask you a question. That's called access. That's a relationship we're talking about here. This is God Almighty, but I have Him on speed dial. I have His private number.

I can access Him any time I want. That's relationship. Okay, you have relationship with God. You're His daughter. You're His son. He loves you. He lights up when you walk into the room. He wants to hear from you. He wants to talk to you. He wants to spend time with you.

It's never a drudgery. It's always a delight and the same should be true for us. This is your Father in heaven. A Father who will always be there. A Father who listens. A Father who loves us. Your Father in heaven.

You say, but that's a problem. In heaven. Heaven is so far away.

I need someone here on earth. Well, for starters, God is omnipresent, which means present everywhere, so He isn't heaven in here. But is heaven really that far away? I think we think, you know, here's the sky and now here's the solar system and now here's the third heaven and it's just so, so far. And maybe in a sense that's true, but in another sense, heaven is closer than you realize. Heaven is another dimension.

It's a supernatural realm. So for the Father in heaven to step into your world is nothing to Him. He's here. My Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. So God is deeply involved and deeply concerned about what you're facing right now.

If it concerns you, it concerns Him. Our Father who art in heaven. Notice it's our Father in heaven, not my Father in heaven. We're being taught by Jesus to pray with other believers. He doesn't teach us to pray, give me this day my daily bread, and nor does He teach me to pray, forgive me my sins as I forgive those who sinned against me. He teaches me to pray, give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who've sinned against us. There's nothing wrong with asking God to forgive you of your sin and provide your daily bread. But the emphasis here is this is something we should do together. Christians need to pray with Christians. It helps, doesn't it? You ever had a burden? You're overwhelmed with something? You see a Christian friend, you say, can we pray?

Yes. And after you pray, you just, it feels so much better. That's because there's power in unified prayer. That's why Jesus said if any two of you will agree on anything, it will be done of your Father in heaven.

Now of course we need to be aligned with the will of God, but the point is praying together makes all the difference in the world. The Bible tells us to bear one another's burdens. Don't do it alone. Don't do life alone.

Don't try to be a solo Christian. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. So we do this together, and then of course we give him honor and glory. But what does Jesus teach us in this template for prayer? When you pray, you 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. Now if we wrote the Lord's Prayer, it would probably sound like this. Our Father who art in heaven, give us this day our daily bread. Let's just get down to business.

Here's my list. Now there's a place for petition. Nothing wrong with asking the Father in heaven for what you need. But notice that Jesus says first take time effectively to contemplate the greatness of God.

Now there are exceptions. If you fell off a ladder and you're on your way down, help will do, okay? You can't even finish the Lord's Prayer. God help. Or maybe you're out surfing and a great white shark is approaching you and you know because you hear the music dun, dun, dun, dun, dun.

Because John Williams is over there directing this orchestra and you don't know why they're even on the beach. Dun, dun, dun, dun, dun. Whoa, he's getting closer. God help me. God deliver me.

God save me. The shark's getting closer. And then you say God, I just pray he's a Christian shark. Meanwhile the shark is saying for this meal that I'm about to receive, I give thanks.

These are the jokes people. I don't know what to say. But as I think about the awesomeness of God, as I contemplate the greatness and bigness of God, it will cause me to see my problem, challenge, need in a different light. It won't change it necessarily, but it will change my perspective. I'll see it differently because listen to this, God is bigger than your problem. Whatever it is, God is bigger. And so my Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name, set apart be your name, honored and glorified be your name. Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment. Hearing about listeners who find Jesus because of Harvest Ministries is so encouraging. Pastor Greg, I've watched the movie Jesus Revolution at least four times. I cried when it showed you getting baptized. I realized that if it wasn't for your salvation, I wouldn't have mine. God always has such wonderful plans. Do you have a story to tell?

If so, would you share it with us? Call 866-871-1144. That's 866-871-1144. Well, we're giving careful consideration to the Lord's Prayer today as Pastor Greg presents his message in case of emergency. Let's continue.

Point number four now. Prayer is getting God's will on earth, not my will in heaven. Prayer is getting God's will on earth, not my will in heaven. Verse 10, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. I've heard people say, I've been wrestling with God a lot in prayer.

Really? I hope you're losing. You don't want to talk God into something that is not his will, not that you could. But why even try? You see, prayer is not about changing God's mind. It's, in many cases, about changing my mind. Prayer is not pulling God my way.

It's pulling me his way. So I'm saying, Lord, I want your kingdom to come and I want your will to be done. Now, when I talk about the kingdom, I'm really just saying, Lord, I long for heaven. Every Christian has been pre-wired to know God and they've been pre-wired to long for a place they've never been to before. Sort of a homing instinct.

We see it in the animal kingdom. God has put it in humanity as well. We long for heaven. We're homesick for heaven. So when I'm praying, your kingdom come, your will be done, I'm just saying, I long for the day when I'll be in heaven in the presence of the Lord. But I'm also saying, I long for the day when Jesus will come back to this earth again. Because the word that is used here, by Christ, come, is a word that means something that's sudden and instantaneous. So effectively, when I say, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, I'm saying, Lord, please come back and do it soon.

And it's also a personal request. I'm saying, Lord, I want your kingdom in my life. I want your rule in my life. Jesus said, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.

And by that, he meant, when he was with a group of people, I'm here, wherever I am, that's where the kingdom of God is. So when I say, your kingdom come, your will be done, I'm saying, Lord, I want your rule in my life. I want you to be in charge of my life. I'm gonna give you the master key of every door in my little house. I want to give you all my passwords. You can access all my social media accounts. You can access anything I look at. Here it is, Lord, my wife has all my passwords.

I hope yours does, too, or your husband. But no secrets, Lord, I want you to have access. You say what you want to say, you do what you want to do. This is what Jesus meant when he said, seek first the kingdom of God. Also, when I pray, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, I'm praying for the salvation of those that don't know the Lord. And we can play a part in bringing that kingdom to others, can't we? God's kingdom is brought to this earth every time a new soul is brought to Jesus. Point number five, God wants us to bring our needs before him each and every day. God wants us to bring our needs before him each and every day, verse 11. Give us this day our daily bread.

Now, if you're on the keto diet, you'll have to change that, I suppose. Give me this day my daily meat and cheese, I suppose. Give me this day my daily bread.

Now, what does this mean? Well, it's obvious that bread, bread was a staple of the first century diet, so it includes that, but bread speaks of everything. It speaks of your finances, it speaks of a roof over your head, it speaks of your health, just everything you need in life, my daily bread. It's a funny thing, back in the 60s, it was an expression for money. Someone might come up to you and say, hey man, do you have any bread? By the way, that's my default 60s way of speaking.

I think everybody in the 60s, hey man. Uh, uh, do you have any bread? Too many drugs. But God wants to provide everything you need in life, and it's a reminder that everything I have in life is provided for me by God. Notice it says give me this day my daily bread.

It doesn't say give me this month my monthly bread, or this year my yearly bread. The Lord will sometimes allow things to happen in our lives that will remind us we need Him every day. Maybe you're going through something like that right now. All of a sudden, oh wow, you have this financial crisis.

All of a sudden you have this health scare. All of a sudden you have this problem in your marriage, or you have this problem with your kids, or you have this other problem, and it's like, uh, God, help, that's okay. Sometimes He'll allow these things to remind us that He's the provider, and we need to come to Him each and every day.

Not just asking for stuff, but giving Him glory for the stuff He's already given. When's the last time you just prayed a prayer of thanks? Oh Lord, thank You for this. Thank You for providing for this. Thank You for my wife.

Thank You for my husband, giving Him thanks. Point number six, God wants us to ask for and extend forgiveness to others. Now some people don't think they need forgiveness. Oh, I don't know that I really sinned today. Seriously?

No? I can't think of a single, impure thought I got? I didn't lose my temper once. I don't think I've sinned at all. Well, you're sinning right now with pride, by the way, but whatever. No, we sin every day.

We really do. And the Bible says if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourself and the truth is not in us. But then it also goes on to say in First John 1-9, if we will confess our sin, He's faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So I need to ask God constantly for forgiveness. I think most of us get that.

I think most of us want that. But here's where it gets tricky. Forgive us our debts as we forgive those who are indebted to us. Wait, what? Yeah, forgive people. But Greg, this person, they hurt me. This person bullied me on social media. This person insulted me. This person did something that's so horrible, I can't forgive them ever.

Really? Jesus said you better be praying not only for your daily bread, but you better be praying and extending forgiveness every single day. I like what C.S. Lewis said about this and I quote, everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive, end quote. It's a great concept, forgiveness. I love forgiveness until it's time for me to forgive someone that doesn't deserve it.

Now let's just concede the point. They don't deserve it. Therefore, I will not forgive them. Okay, hold on now. Do you deserve forgiveness? Well, no?

Okay. You don't deserve forgiveness, yet God gave it to you. Why would you not extend it to another person as well? The Bible says you've been forgiven. Therefore, be tenderhearted, forgiving others.

But listen to this. One person put it this way. Forgiveness is not about absolving the perpetrator. It's about healing the victim.

Here's another statement I like. Forgiveness isn't giving into another person. It's getting free of that person.

Get it? See, in a way, it's even not about that person. Let's just say here's this person. He did this thing to me. I choose to forgive him.

Doesn't deserve it, did it anyway. Who's getting free now? Him?

Not really, but I am. Guess that's not driving me crazy. So when he walks in a room, I'm not seething over in the side because I've let it go. Let it go. And forgive as you've been forgiven. God wants us to ask for and extend forgiveness to others. Pastor Greg Laurie, with insight on the importance of forgiveness and following the Lord's model for prayer, laid out in what we commonly call the Lord's Prayer. And Pastor Greg has more to come in this message called In Case of Emergency, Here on a New Beginning. Now, as Pastor Greg said, not only is it important to extend forgiveness, it's important to ask for forgiveness, especially in a relationship with the Lord. Have you ever come to the Lord and asked him to forgive you of your sins?

It's the first step in beginning a relationship with him. Pastor Greg, what would you say to that person listening? What I would say is he's only a prayer away, which means if you will call upon the name of the Lord right now through prayer, he will hear your prayer and answer your prayer. Listen, if you want Jesus Christ to come into your life, if you want him to forgive you of your sin, if you want to know that you'll go to heaven when you die, just pray this prayer right now after me. Just pray, Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner, but I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead. I turn from my sin now and I choose to follow you from this moment forward as my Savior and Lord, as my God and my friend. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Amen. And listen, if you have just prayed that prayer along with Pastor Greg and meant those words sincerely, we want to welcome you into God's family. And we want to help you get started in your new faith. Pastor Greg wants to send you his New Believer's Bible free of charge along with some other helpful resources. Just let us know you prayed with Pastor Greg and that you want the New Believer's Bible when you call 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call anytime at 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and click the words Know God. Well, Pastor Greg, it's such a wonderful thing to hear from our listeners.

Yes. They write to us from all across the country and even all around the world. In fact, take a listen to this.

Hi, Greg. I'm a young Christian living in rural Australia and I recently went with my mom to watch The Jesus Revolution. The movie really touched me and gave me a new insight into the lives of young Christians just like me. I enjoyed the movie so much that I'm so excited for the opportunity to show it to all my friends who aren't Christians yet and are still trying to find their way in the world. I would just like to thank you and all your team for all that you guys have done to spread the gospel around the world.

Every morning, my brother and I listen to your podcast through the local radio station on the way to school. It's a great way to strengthen ourselves and to encourage us to spread the Lord's word. I wait eagerly for the day I am able to be at one of your crusades in America or maybe even here in Australia. Thank you for obeying God all those years ago so that you bless all of us today through Christ. God bless you all. Wow, that's a beautiful letter from that young lady from Down Under, Australia.

We had some great crusades here over the years and maybe one day we'll return again. But to her, I would just say thank you for writing and what an inspiration that is because you know, Dave, that was exactly what we were trying to do when we made this film. We wanted people to feel what we felt, to almost take them back in time so they could experience it for themselves and I think it succeeded. I've talked to so many people of all ages who've said, oh wow, for those that were there, it was a flashback. It's like I was back where I was before but for others like this young lady who wrote, they're saying, man, I want that for my generation and I pray they do have it for their generation. The gospel is for every generation. The gospel is for every person, young and old, men and women, boys and girls. Think about this. This young lady listens to our podcast every day on the way to school.

How amazing is that? So as we come now to the end of one year and we're poised to enter into another, what a great time to invest into the future, to invest in the next generation, to invest in young people. They need to hear the gospel. Our job is to pass this on.

That's every generation's job. We carry the gospel into our generation and we pass it on to the next one and they do the same and they pass it to the following generation and so I'm gonna ask you in this month of December to make a generous year-end gift to Harvest Ministries so we can continue to reach every generation but especially young people like that young lady we just heard from. Thank you for your generosity. Give generously and invest in the future with us here at Harvest.

That's 1-800-821-3300. You can also stream our feature film Jesus Revolution as well as the entire library of the Kingdom Story Company films. Plus our TV programs, our podcast, Harvest at Home and a lot more.

Stream it all on any device for free using the new Harvest Plus app. Well, next time, more insights on how to enjoy an effective, rewarding prayer life as Pastor Greg continues our study of the Lord's Prayer. Join us here on A New Beginning with pastor and Bible teacher, Greg Laurie. A New Beginning is a podcast made possible by Harvest Partners, helping people everywhere know God. If this show has impacted your life, share your story, leave a review on your favorite podcast app and help others find hope.