The power of prayer

1. The Power of Prayer

2. Key Questions we will address
•Where should we pray?
•How should we pray?
•Should we pray at all when God
knows everything even before we ask
it?

3. Where should we pray?
But when you pray, go into your room
and shut the door and pray to your
Father who is in secret. And your Father
who sees in secret will reward you –
Mathew 6:6

4. How should we pray?
And when you pray, you must not be like
the hypocrites. For they love to stand and
pray in the synagogues and at the street
corners, that they may be seen by
others. Truly, I say to you, they have
received their reward - Mathew 6:5
And when you pray, do not heap up empty
phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that
they will be heard for their many words -
Mathew 6:7

5. Should we pray at all when God
knows everything even before we
ask it?… for your Father knows what you need
before you ask him - Mathew 6:5
Jesus tells us 2 parables which
address these question... In fact he
tells us we need to keep asking and
be persistent in prayer

6. The parable of the friend at
midnightAnd he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight
and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived
on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from
within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in
bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get
up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his
impudence[c] he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask,
and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened
to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to
the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks
for[d] a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg,
will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts
to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to
those who ask him!”

7. The Parable of the Persistent
WidowAnd he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to
pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a
judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was
a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me
justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but
afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor
respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will
give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual
coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge
says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day
and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give
justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes,
will he find faith on earth?”

9. Revisiting our questions…
•Where should we pray?
•Spend quality time with God alone. Find a room you want to meet God everyday. Close the
door and get up close with Jesus
•How should we pray?
•Don’t just show yourself to be prayerful in front of others
•Its not the quantum of what you are saying but the quality time that you spend that
matters
•Should we pray at all when God knows everything even before we ask it?
•YES!YES!YES! In fact God urges you to persist in prayer. Do not be discouraged when your
prayers are not answered keep at it and God will answer your prayers in his time according

11. The Power of Prayer