Deepening Our Prayer Life Through Faith and Righteousness
Summary
In today's gathering, we reflected on the profound significance of prayer in our lives as believers. We began by acknowledging the beauty of the day and the privilege of worshiping together, even in the cold. We then delved into the essence of Jesus as the Light of the World, who stepped down from the glory of heaven into our darkness, bringing hope and salvation. This act of divine love sets the foundation for our understanding of prayer and our relationship with God.
We explored the concept of prayer through the lens of faith, obedience, and righteousness. Prayer is not merely a ritual but a powerful expression of our faith in God. It is through hearing and obeying God's word that our prayers gain strength and significance. We discussed the importance of trusting God wholly, not just in isolated moments but as a continuous journey of faith. This trust is the bedrock of a vibrant prayer life.
The narrative from Mark 11 served as a poignant reminder of the power of faith-filled prayer. Jesus' actions in the temple and His teaching about the fig tree illustrated the necessity of aligning our lives with God's will. We learned that sin can hinder our prayers, emphasizing the need for forgiveness and reconciliation in our relationships, both with God and others.
Furthermore, we were reminded that God responds to the righteous. Our walk with God should reflect a life of righteousness, where our actions and relationships align with His commands. This alignment opens the door for God to hear and respond to our prayers. The example of Elijah, a man of faith, demonstrated the power of righteous prayer, encouraging us to pursue a deeper relationship with God.
As we concluded, we were encouraged to grow in our prayer life, seeking a more intimate relationship with the Father. This pursuit is not about seeking power but about finding pleasure in God's presence and aligning our lives with His will. Let us continue to trust God, abide in His word, and walk in righteousness, knowing that His eyes are upon us and His ears are open to our prayers.
Key Takeaways:
1. Trust God Completely: Our prayer life gains power when we trust God wholly, not just in isolated moments but as a continuous journey of faith. This trust is foundational for effective prayer, as it aligns our hearts with God's will and opens the door for His response. [44:44]
2. Sin Hinders Prayer: Unforgiveness and sin can obstruct our prayers, emphasizing the need for reconciliation in our relationships with God and others. By addressing these barriers, we restore our relational standing with God, allowing our prayers to be heard and answered. [52:10]
3. God Responds to the Righteous: A life of righteousness, where our actions and relationships align with God's commands, invites His response to our prayers. This alignment is crucial for a meaningful and effective prayer life. [01:04:10]
4. The Power of Faith-Filled Prayer: The narrative of the fig tree in Mark 11 illustrates the power of prayer rooted in faith. When we walk in faith and obedience, our prayers become powerful expressions of our trust in God, capable of moving mountains. [39:51]
5. Pursue Intimacy with God: Our ultimate goal is to deepen our relationship with God, seeking His presence and aligning our lives with His will. This pursuit is not about seeking power but about finding pleasure in God's presence and experiencing the fullness of life in Him. [01:12:55]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [07:45] - Worship and Praise
- [17:05] - Announcements and Events
- [23:54] - Spiritual Leadership and Prayer
- [28:20] - Hearing and Obeying by Faith
- [33:00] - The Power of Prayer in Mark 11
- [39:51] - Faith and the Fig Tree
- [44:44] - Trusting God Completely
- [52:10] - Sin and Forgiveness in Prayer
- [01:04:10] - Righteousness and God's Response
- [01:12:55] - Pursuing Intimacy with God
- [01:14:14] - Closing Prayer and Worship
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Mark 11:12-25
2. 1 Peter 3:7-12
3. James 5:13-18
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Observation Questions:
1. In Mark 11, what actions did Jesus take in the temple, and what was His reasoning behind these actions? [34:09]
2. How does Jesus use the fig tree to teach a lesson about faith and prayer? [39:51]
3. According to 1 Peter 3:7, what specific behavior is required of husbands to ensure their prayers are not hindered?
4. What does James 5:16 say about the power of prayer and the role of righteousness?
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the narrative of the fig tree in Mark 11 illustrate the relationship between faith and prayer? [39:51]
2. In what ways does sin, particularly unforgiveness, hinder our prayers according to the sermon and 1 Peter 3:7? [52:10]
3. How does the example of Elijah in James 5:17-18 demonstrate the power of a righteous person's prayer?
4. What does it mean to "have faith in God" as a continuous journey, and how does this affect our prayer life? [44:44]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current prayer life. Are there areas where you struggle to trust God completely? What steps can you take to deepen your trust in Him? [44:44]
2. Consider any unresolved conflicts or unforgiveness in your life. How might these be affecting your relationship with God and your prayer life? What actions can you take towards reconciliation? [52:10]
3. How can you align your daily actions and relationships with God's commands to invite His response to your prayers? Identify one specific area to focus on this week. [01:04:10]
4. Think about a recent situation where you felt your prayers were not being answered. How might walking in righteousness and faith change the outcome? [01:04:10]
5. What practical steps can you take to pursue a more intimate relationship with God, seeking His presence rather than power? [01:12:55]
6. Identify a specific area in your life where you need to exercise faith and obedience. What is one action you can take this week to demonstrate your trust in God? [28:20]
7. How can you incorporate the practice of confessing sins to one another in your small group or personal life to enhance your prayer life? [01:09:34]
Devotional
Day 1: Trust as a Continuous Journey
Prayer is a profound expression of faith, not just a ritual. It requires a deep, ongoing trust in God, which aligns our hearts with His will. This trust is not limited to isolated moments but is a continuous journey of faith. When we trust God completely, our prayers gain power and significance, opening the door for His response. This foundational trust is essential for effective prayer, as it reflects our willingness to align our lives with God's purposes. [44:44]
"Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock." (Isaiah 26:4, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find it difficult to trust God completely? How can you begin to surrender this area to Him today?
Day 2: Removing Barriers to Prayer
Sin and unforgiveness can obstruct our prayers, creating barriers in our relationship with God and others. It is crucial to address these issues, seeking forgiveness and reconciliation to restore our relational standing with God. By doing so, we allow our prayers to be heard and answered. This process involves a sincere examination of our hearts and a willingness to forgive others, as well as seeking God's forgiveness for our own shortcomings. [52:10]
"If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened." (Psalm 66:18, ESV)
Reflection: Think of someone in your life you need to forgive. Can you ask God to help you begin to extend His love and forgiveness to them today?
Day 3: Righteousness Invites God's Response
A life of righteousness, where our actions and relationships align with God's commands, invites His response to our prayers. This alignment is crucial for a meaningful and effective prayer life. When we walk in righteousness, we reflect God's character and open the door for Him to hear and respond to our prayers. The example of Elijah, a man of faith, demonstrates the power of righteous prayer and encourages us to pursue a deeper relationship with God. [01:04:10]
"The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." (James 5:16b, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you align your actions and relationships more closely with God's commands this week?
Day 4: The Power of Faith-Filled Prayer
The narrative of the fig tree in Mark 11 illustrates the power of prayer rooted in faith. When we walk in faith and obedience, our prayers become powerful expressions of our trust in God, capable of moving mountains. This faith-filled prayer requires us to believe in God's promises and act in obedience to His word, trusting that He will fulfill His purposes in our lives. [39:51]
"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." (Mark 11:24, ESV)
Reflection: What is one specific area in your life where you need to exercise faith-filled prayer? How can you begin to trust God more deeply in this area today?
Day 5: Pursuing Intimacy with God
Our ultimate goal is to deepen our relationship with God, seeking His presence and aligning our lives with His will. This pursuit is not about seeking power but about finding pleasure in God's presence and experiencing the fullness of life in Him. As we grow in our prayer life, we are encouraged to seek a more intimate relationship with the Father, trusting that His eyes are upon us and His ears are open to our prayers. [01:12:55]
"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." (James 4:8a, ESV)
Reflection: How can you intentionally create space in your daily routine to seek God's presence and deepen your relationship with Him this week?
Quotes
Prayer is important. I just met this past week with, there's a group of pastors that meets, we meet down at San Marcos community church. And we pray for the corridor, right? All the way from Buda. We pray for the corridor, right? All the way from, down to New Braunfels, and so we got churches represented from, you know, along 35, and we just get together as pastors, and we pray for this area. [00:29:10]
Mark chapter 11. Mark chapter 11, starting in verse 12. The context is, this is that last week. You know, Jesus had triumphal entry, and then he's basically living to the east of Jerusalem. They go back to Bethany, the Mount of Olives, and they just, every night they go there to stay, and then they come back to Jerusalem through that whole week before the end of that week we have the crucifixion. [00:33:00]
My house is to be a house of prayer for all nations. He's going back to King Solomon. He's going back to the first temple, the dedication of the first temple, and God's purpose for his temple. His temple was a place right in the middle of the temple. The Holy of Holies, the presence of God was to be there. [00:35:29]
When Jesus died, he paid for our sin, and he said, It is finished. And what happened at the Holy of Holies? This giant curtain, huge, one that Herod had made. It's like huge. It's huge and tall, right? If we're going to try to rip it, you wouldn't have been able to, but a strong man would come in and try to rip it, and he would go from the bottom, and he wouldn't be able to get anywhere. [00:38:27]
Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, be taken up, thrown into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. You think because I said, may you never bear fruit again, and then 24 hours later this tree is withered, that that's a big deal. [00:40:43]
Talk about hearing with faith, obeying by faith. Those are the steps to get into this place of where I am walking in faith and obedience, hearing God and trusting what he says. And it's from that place of faith, trusting God, that then prayer becomes powerful. I am walking in a manner pleasing to God. [00:45:16]
If we continue in verse 25, he says, And whenever you stand praying, forgive. If you have anything against anyone so that you can forgive, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. What have I got that's getting in the way of my prayer that needs to go? It's my trespasses. [00:51:58]
So legally before God, we are no longer condemned. We do not face eternity in hell. There is no punishment left for our sin because it's been punished on the cross. We are justified. Done completely. We don't have to do anything. We just simply have to believe in faith what Jesus did for us. On the cross, it's done. [00:54:30]
You want your prayer to be meaningful? You want your prayer to be answered? You want to be heard? To see God respond? Here's what we do. We walk in righteousness because His eyes are on the righteous and His ears are open to their prayer. Here's the third point. God responds to the righteous. [01:05:00]
And Jesus is saying, follow me into this place of intimate relationship with the Father. Just trust God. Have faith in God. What's it like? When the eyes of God are upon us. Intimate relationship with God. I don't care about Ferraris anymore, right? I don't care about demonstrating my power, right? If I'm walking in fellowship with God, it's all about him. [01:06:29]
James chapter 5 says is anyone among you sick let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord and the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up and if he's committed sins he will be forgiven prayer of faith whose faith is operating there first the person who says I'm not good elders please come and pray over me what are they saying they're saying if you're a person who should be following God because you are in a position of leading in his church then God's listening to those who are walking according to his ways and please don't try to put a pastor up on a pedestal we are all desperately trying to learn to follow God and to follow God and trust him but this expression of faith say come pray over me is an expression of faith to God and the anointing of oil oil is not powerful in itself but what is it it's an expression of faith [01:07:52]
I am so convinced that the most important thing for us is to pursue constantly a deeper, more intimate relationship with the Father, corporately and individually. What we do in this church, like we're doing the spiritual leadership class, or we're doing other things. And as we get together in small groups, we're doing that to grow together in our relationship with Jesus. [01:13:00]
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