HOW TO PRAY WITH HOW TO PRAY WITH PASSION AND POWERPASSION AND POWER

Western Youth Western Youth Conference 2010Conference 2010

PROBLEMS WITH PROBLEMS WITH PRAYERPRAYER ““My prayers feel like they are bouncing My prayers feel like they are bouncing

off the ceiling. I don’t know if God off the ceiling. I don’t know if God hears them or if He even cares.”hears them or if He even cares.”

““I can’t seem to concentrate during I can’t seem to concentrate during prayer. As soon as I close my eyes, I prayer. As soon as I close my eyes, I start thinking of something else.”start thinking of something else.”

““I find myself saying the same things I find myself saying the same things over and over. Every day, it’s ‘Same as over and over. Every day, it’s ‘Same as yesterday, Lord.’”yesterday, Lord.’”

Two Missing Two Missing IngredientsIngredients Our prayers lack Our prayers lack passionpassion

Our prayers lack Our prayers lack powerpower

The same old, same The same old, same oldold

Why have we lost our Why have we lost our passion?passion? Is your prayer a Is your prayer a wish list?wish list? Or does your prayer reveal a Or does your prayer reveal a

thirsty heart?thirsty heart? Prayers are made passionless Prayers are made passionless

when when we lose touch with our we lose touch with our deepest needs and desire for deepest needs and desire for the heart of God.the heart of God.

PrayerPrayerThe idea that prayer is not The idea that prayer is not essential is one of Satan's essential is one of Satan's most successful devices to most successful devices to ruin souls. Prayer is ruin souls. Prayer is communion with Godcommunion with God, the , the Fountain of wisdom, the Fountain of wisdom, the Source of strength, and Source of strength, and peace, and happiness.peace, and happiness.

Testimonies, Vol. 7, 42.Testimonies, Vol. 7, 42.

Prayer is Power!Prayer is Power!

By prayer we are connecting with By prayer we are connecting with the God of the universe – the same the God of the universe – the same power that created everything that power that created everything that exists.exists.

The same power that healed the The same power that healed the sick, brought hope to the hopeless, sick, brought hope to the hopeless, opened the eyes of the blind, that opened the eyes of the blind, that calmed the raging waves and calmed the raging waves and brought life from death.brought life from death.

PrayerPrayer Without unceasing prayer Without unceasing prayer and diligent watching we and diligent watching we are in danger of growing are in danger of growing careless and of deviating careless and of deviating from the right path. The from the right path. The adversary seeks adversary seeks continually to obstruct the continually to obstruct the way to the mercy seat, way to the mercy seat, that we may not by that we may not by earnest supplication and earnest supplication and faith obtain grace and faith obtain grace and power power to resist to resist temptationtemptation.” Steps to .” Steps to Christ, pages 94,95.Christ, pages 94,95.

PrayerPrayerThe darkness of the evil The darkness of the evil one encloses those who one encloses those who neglect to prayneglect to pray. The . The whispered temptations whispered temptations of the enemy entice of the enemy entice them to sin; and it is all them to sin; and it is all because they do not because they do not make use of the make use of the privileges that God has privileges that God has given them in the divine given them in the divine appointment of prayer. appointment of prayer. Review and Herald, Review and Herald, December 8, 1904.December 8, 1904.

PrayerPrayer

Pray much. Prayer is Pray much. Prayer is the life of soul. The the life of soul. The prayer of faith is the prayer of faith is the weaponweapon by which we by which we may may successfully successfully resist resist every assault of every assault of the enemy.--the enemy.-- Manuscript 24, 1904Manuscript 24, 1904

PrayerPrayer

Prayer is the breath of the Prayer is the breath of the soul. It is the soul. It is the secret of secret of spiritual powerspiritual power. No other . No other means of grace can be means of grace can be substituted, and the health substituted, and the health of the soul be preserved. of the soul be preserved. Prayer brings the heart Prayer brings the heart into immediate contact into immediate contact with the Well-spring of life, with the Well-spring of life, and strengthens the sinew and strengthens the sinew and muscle of the religious and muscle of the religious experience. experience.

PrayerPrayer

Neglect Neglect the exercise of the exercise of prayer, or engage in prayer, or engage in prayer spasmodically, prayer spasmodically, now and then, as seems now and then, as seems convenient, and convenient, and you lose you lose your hold on Godyour hold on God. The . The spiritual faculties lose spiritual faculties lose their vitality, the religious their vitality, the religious experience lacks health experience lacks health and vigor.and vigor. Gospel Workers, Gospel Workers, page 254page 254

What is the purpose of What is the purpose of prayer?prayer? Is prayer simply a religious duty?Is prayer simply a religious duty? Is prayer to touch the heart of Is prayer to touch the heart of

God? God? Do we pray so that God can Do we pray so that God can

answer our wishes and desires?answer our wishes and desires?

What is the What is the Purpose of Prayer?Purpose of Prayer?

““Prayer is not to work Prayer is not to work any change in God; it any change in God; it is to bring us into is to bring us into harmony with God.harmony with God.””

Christ’s Object Lessons, Christ’s Object Lessons, page 143page 143

How to Pray with How to Pray with Passion and PowerPassion and Power Why do you pray? What’s your Why do you pray? What’s your

motivationmotivation?? How do you pray? What’s your How do you pray? What’s your

methodmethod??

What was Jesus’ What was Jesus’ Motivation?Motivation? Three of Jesus’ Prayers:Three of Jesus’ Prayers:

– Lord’s prayerLord’s prayer– Prayer of John 17Prayer of John 17– Prayer of GethsemanePrayer of Gethsemane

It’s very clear that when Jesus It’s very clear that when Jesus prayed, he prayed for his father’s prayed, he prayed for his father’s glory and his father’s will to be glory and his father’s will to be done.done.

The four elements of The four elements of prayerprayer

AddressAddress

Prayer is RelationalPrayer is Relational

It’s not all about God and it’s not It’s not all about God and it’s not all about me!all about me!

We pray to Abba, Daddy!We pray to Abba, Daddy! Prayer is about bringing us into a Prayer is about bringing us into a

relationship with Him.relationship with Him. God is both God is both friendfriend and and Lord!Lord!

The four elements of The four elements of prayerprayer

AddressAddressAdoreAdore

Christians fail to Christians fail to worship God when worship God when they praythey pray ““Hallowed be thy name.”Hallowed be thy name.” ““Enter his gates with thanksgiving Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise.”and his courts with praise.” Adoration is about giving God Adoration is about giving God

glory and praiseglory and praise

The four elements of The four elements of prayerprayer

AddressAddressAdoreAdoreAskAsk

The four elements of The four elements of prayerprayer

AddressAddressAdoreAskAskAdvocateAdvocate

How should we pray?How should we pray?

Prayer should be speaking Prayer should be speaking to God as to God as to a friendto a friend..

Pray Pray in secretin secret Pray Pray without ceasingwithout ceasing Pray Pray with thanksgivingwith thanksgiving Pray Pray with faithwith faith Pray Pray for God’s will to be for God’s will to be

donedone

Your Daily PrayerYour Daily PrayerConsecrate yourself to God in the Consecrate yourself to God in the morning; make this your very first morning; make this your very first work. Let your prayer be, work. Let your prayer be, "Take "Take me, O Lord, as wholly Thine. I lay me, O Lord, as wholly Thine. I lay all my plans at Thy feet. Use me all my plans at Thy feet. Use me today in Thy service. Abide with today in Thy service. Abide with me, and let all my work be me, and let all my work be wrought in Thee." wrought in Thee." This is a daily This is a daily matter. Each morning consecrate matter. Each morning consecrate yourself to God for that day. yourself to God for that day. Surrender all your plans to Him, Surrender all your plans to Him, to be carried out or given up as to be carried out or given up as His providence shall indicate. His providence shall indicate. Thus day by day you may be Thus day by day you may be giving your life into the hands of giving your life into the hands of God…God…Steps to Christ, page 70Steps to Christ, page 70

WHAT SHOULD WE WHAT SHOULD WE PRAY FOR?PRAY FOR? God’s promisesGod’s promises

NecessitiesNecessities God’s mission – the churchGod’s mission – the church Holy SpiritHoly Spirit Wisdom/UnderstandingWisdom/Understanding Will/PurposeWill/Purpose Understanding the timesUnderstanding the times Character changeCharacter change ConfessionConfession Needs of OthersNeeds of Others

Conditions of PrayerConditions of Prayer

The heart must be open to The heart must be open to the Spirit’s influencethe Spirit’s influence

If we cling to any known sin, If we cling to any known sin, the Lord will not hear usthe Lord will not hear us

Another element of Another element of prevailing prayer is faithprevailing prayer is faith

We come to God feeling We come to God feeling helpless and dependenthelpless and dependent

Conditions of Prayer Conditions of Prayer (2)(2)

We should have a spirit We should have a spirit of love and forgiveness of love and forgiveness in our heartsin our hearts

There is a necessity for There is a necessity for diligence in prayerdiligence in prayer

We must not neglect We must not neglect secret prayersecret prayer

When Do You Pray?When Do You Pray?