The Priority of Prayer – Dr. Charles Stanley

Kelvin do you pray what do you pray about do you have confidence that when you pray and talk to God he's gonna answer your prayer what is it that motivates you to pray above everything else probably not good times but fear pain suffering heartache and then let me ask you a question what do you think hinders you the most from praying you want to pray and you start to pray and then you say well God's not gonna answer that I've prayed so many times he answered my prayer so sometimes we just doubt his word but you know one of the greatest reasons people did not pray it's real simple it's called SI n sin and when you have sin in your life ongoing is sin in your life you're not very prone to want to get into the presence of a holy God and talk to him about your life unless you are willing and ready to lay it down and get right with God because when we pray we are talking to a holy God and talking to a holy God in the presence of God and sin those two things just don't fit and prayer is the most important thing we do talking to God the sovereign God of the universe who has all power and all knowledge who knows what you think and what you feel and what you're going to ask before you ask it but to come to him having avoided the Lord Jesus Christ if you've never trusted him as your Savior you can forget the pray until you trust them as your savior you may have some kind of God in your life but apart from him you will never reach the one true eternal God he will hear you if you're willing to ask him to forgive you of your sins and trust him as your personal Savior then he's wide open to heal you prayer is the most important event in our life and one of the shortest verses in the Bible is the very clever found in 1st Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 17 and if you'll turn there for a moment and I'd like for just the read a few of these verses here just to sort of get us ready for this and the Apostle Paul is writing to the Thessalonians and Christians and let me remind you this the days in which he writes his epistles were in the days of Rome we think things are bad here in our country now this is nothing compared to the kind of life they had to live in the kind of domination and power and threats and ruin and heartache and atrocities and all the things that they had to face listen to what Paul says beginning in the 16th verse of 1st Thessalonians chapter 5 he says rejoice always now if we had to stop right there I think no way but then he says pray without ceasing what does that mean I'm coming to it then he says in verse 18 in everything give thanks for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus let me clarify something he said in everything in the midst of it in the circumstances in this situation I don't have to I don't have to give thanks for everything that comes my way hurt and pain and suffering but in the midst of it I am to give him thanks in it in everything give thanks for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus do not quench the spirit by sin do not despise prophetic utterances when you hear the truth examine everything carefully hold fast that which is good abstain from every form of evil now may the God of peace himself sanctify you that is said you apart afresh and anew in the Holy life if sanctify you entirely and may your spirit and your soul and your body be preserved complete without blame at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ who called you what an awesome text and scripture but what I want you to notice he says pray without ceasing what in the world does he mean by that so the title of this message is the priority of prayer now a priority means it has a position of some importance that is all of us have priorities in our life a person who doesn't won't amount to much in life we have priorities and the priority of our life should be prayer for this peices praying without ceasing I'll explain that in just a moment but here's what he says it's it's not something that you add on to your daily life that you got 24 hours in a day and I'm going to spend five minutes talking to God it's something more important than that it's talking to the Heavenly Father and so when we think about the priority of Prayer the very word priority means it has a position of importance it's not a place of indifference in our life and it speaks some frequency so what does it mean to pray without ceasing does that mean that you just go around mumbling all the time Jesus help me Jesus help me Jesus God bless this God bless that give me this and give me that no it doesn't mean that's all it means a continuous reoccurring of something that's something that happens continuously but continuously reoccurring for example you wake up in the morning and you ask the Lord to give you direction for your life and to help you strengthen you to give you wisdom and you go about your family cooking breakfast or whatever it might be and you're getting your kids ready for school lord I pray that you'll protect them today you get in your automobile and thank you for giving you a safe tip to your job and on your way and you think about somebody you're working with that you having a problem with you talk about so it's reassuring but it's continuously reoccurring and you think about this think about in any given day how many times you and I need to ask him to give us direction and help us to strengthen us to give us guidance to provide something we need that's what Paul means when he says pray without ceasing it's a way of life it's a part of our daily life we go to bed at night praying we wake up praying we are praying all during the day about different things that concern us so I ask you in the very beginning what do you pray about is prayer in your life something you sort of tack on at different times when things get a little rough in other words do you ever think about praying when everything is going your way and then when sorrow hits sickness hits you lose your job you have a financial problem and all of a sudden going about our busy busy busy day all of a sudden God has our attention the truth is he means to have our attention all the time reoccurring listen to this reoccurring awareness of his presence and his power in our life daily throughout the day and throughout the waking hours of our life and when we wake up in the middle of the night we ought to think about him Lord is there something you want to say to me do you want to get me ready for something tomorrow that I'm not aware of really let's think about this what an awesome blessing and opportunity to be in a relationship with Almighty God the sovereign of the universe who's interested in everything about you your name has been written in the Lamb's Book of Life if you've just trusted Jesus as your Savior he's interested in every single thing you listen you can't say anything that he doesn't know about you can't do anything he doesn't know about you can't facing a difficulty hardship and inform him and anyway about something he doesn't know about you have this awesome a God who loves you enough to give His only begotten Son Jesus on the cross you have this awesome God who loves you enough to be interested in every facet of your life and if you are willing to listen to him and to follow him you'll have life at its best even in the difficult trying times of life so ask your question with that kind of a God and facing what you face in life how often do you pray what do you pray about do you have confidence that when you pray that God is going to hear an answer your prayer where does prayer fit in your daily life he says we are to pray without ceasing now to do that I need a relationship with him and that comes through the Lord Jesus Christ you can talk to him listen to him and God is willing to speak and ready to speak God is not in heaven trying to be secretive about things he wants to talk to you about your life listen he created you not to harm you but to make it possible for you to live life at its very best but in order for that to happen I've got to be willing to listen to him and so when I look at this scripture it's very impossible to rejoice always unless I have continuous contact with the father so look if you will for a moment to Luke chapter 18 and let me just remind you of a passage of Scripture in this eighteenth chapter of Luke beginning in the first few verses Jesus gives this parable to remind us how God does listen to us and provide our needs and so he says he was telling them this to show them that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart Dupree and not to lose heart so he says they were in this certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man there was a will in that city and she kept coming to him saying give me legal protection for my opponent for while he was unwilling but afterwards he said to himself even though I don't fear God no respect man yet because this Widow bothers me I will give her legal protection otherwise by continuing to come in she's wearing me out and so the Lord said hear what the unrighteous judge said there will not God bring about justice for all his elect who cry out to him and what do you simply saying is this we don't have to Bey complete God to listen to us he is hearing us if you're a child of God the ears of Almighty God are open to every single one of his children you say how could that possibly be because he's God and because he's given us a message of hope about all of these things so I think one of the reasons people don't pray is because watch this carefully they don't feel worthy they don't feel like God's listening they don't feel like they know how they don't have the kind of relationship that would make them think that God would listen to them in a way so their minds are full of doubt if you doubt that God is listening more than likely you're dealing with some sin in your life because you have proof I don't believe God will hear and that's my prayer because the truth is God does hear and answer the prayers of his children even when we are confused even sometimes when we think well Lord I don't deserve it the truth is none of us deserve His grace and love and mercy but he's listening and willing to hear and answer our prayer so what I'd like to do is this distinguish between true prayer and false prayer because there is a difference and God doesn't answer false prayers and when I think about what that means is simple this God does not answer the prayer of people who have rejected his son watch this because our access our access to God to the throne of God our access is through His Son Jesus Christ and Jesus then that verb familiar chapter in John 14 when he says no one comes to the Father but by me he makes it very clear and many people do not realize why they feel so prayerless and they're living in sin and then when something happens and how many times have I heard this something happens and they're like they're just doing their own thing living in sin and then when there's an accident or some major trauma in their life they want to cry out to God if you're in trouble God will hear you but if you have rejected him and continue to reject him and you want him to bypass his principles his laws his promises and do something for you over here when you have rejected him and rejected him and rejected him that's not the way it's going to happen because you've rejected the hand that can provide exactly what you need and I want to tell you something that's an act of pride you think that you can get what you need and you can manage life and you can control things and you brag about this and brag about that you've got all these talents and skills and abilities and finances and all the rest and you reject God you're living in a fool's paradise because that's not the way God operates we humble ourselves before the Living God receiving his son Jesus Christ as their personal Savior acknowledging and need of him he is more than willing to hear and answer our prayers so there's a lot of praying egos those faults it's not going anywhere and when somebody says I don't think my prayer is getting higher than this even the truth is they don't get any higher than here because there's no there's nothing to back them up there's no relationship to God through His Son Jesus Christ and he makes it crystal clear and when people say well I don't believe in the God you believe in but I believe in God well what I want to say Israel tell me give me a list of answers to prayer that your God has answered they can't because their God hasn't answered any prayer mat now by the mercy of God he allows good things to happen to people but he says even that is in order to bring them to Jesus Christ not to believe in some foreign gun so a lot of false prayer and I think about what Jesus said no one comes to the Father but by me that's to go to heaven or to pray and so true prayer involves my heart not just my mouth and my feelings my heart that is what is my what is my relationship you got it and I think about this also most of the people who pray they carry on the monologue with God God hears my need and they go on and on and on and on and talk to God watch this and and turn around and walk off and they never listened to God you know why they don't expect him to answer because sin dedenne's your expectation for a holy God to hear and answer your prayer it's false praying that's not true praying calls praying thoughts praying is talking to God based on what I think I deserve and what I think God ought to think about me true prayer is based on a sense of humility that we are not accepted on the basis of our conduct we're accepted in the basis of His mercy we were accepted on the basis of the truth of his awesome word of what he'll do and so most people's prayers false praying it's a monologue what it's all about them true genuine prayer is a dialogue now let me ask you this most of you either mayor to have been a gonna be so how did you build a relationship with that person you talk to them you listen to them you talk to them you listen then you talk to them and you listen to them when they hurt they listen to him when they laughed you listen to them when they wanted something you listen to them and you gave them no it's you built a relationship by talking and listening there's no such thing as a relationship that doesn't go both ways you can't do all the talking you don't do all the listening and so we have a relationship with each other built on a dialogue and listen what's this intimacy intimacy is heart-to-heart intimacy is mine to mine and probably women understand that more than men but neither here nor there the truth is that's the kind of relationship that God intends for us to have with him so that there are times when we do the talking and then we need to listen now watch this we're not listen to me carefully I'm talking about the most important thing they can go on in your life that's going to affect every single aspect of your life in some way or the other and so we need to build a relationship with the Lord so in order for that to happen you say well how does God speak to me well one of the ways he speaks these through his word that's why it's good to read the Word of God a little bit before you start praying not always but at least at some point in the day you read a portion because it's amazing how God this is not this is not amazing it's not amazing that he knows what you need it's amazing how he can take you right to the scripture that you just desperately need because he's God and remember this from Genesis to Revelation he knows that reverse there isn't anything in the Bible he doesn't know about and so dealing that intimate relationship is and solutely essential and so therefore and I'll give you an example I learned that a long time ago I remember being really troubled about something and I'm don't mind these and crying out to God and for some reason I got up and walked right off as soon as I did I was under conviction I thought well god I didn't even give you an Avenue give you an opportunity to tell me what I was asking about I think that's what most people do they praying it up and leave oh then first of all they're not even down then they haven't humble themselves before God that pray and let me just say this this is not absolutely a criteria for acceptance by God to get on your knees it's an expression of humility that you are talking to the god of the universe the only true God and I recognize that some people I can't get on your knees and what I've been through in the past year fourth quarter while I couldn't get on mine but I couldn't wait til I could the issue is this it's not positioned the issue is this talking to him listening to him that's what God wants he wants not only for you to talk to him he wants you to listen to him he wants to give you a clear direction he wants to answer your prayer he wants to provide what you need but if you don't listen to him then you know better than you hadn't even prayed Lord I need this I need that I need the other thank you very much in Jesus name mm-hmm that's not the way he operates because what that says is I'm telling you but I can handle it or you handle it for me I appreciate it that's not prayer and that's not the way God wants us to operate so ask yourself the question you know how often do you pray is it specific is that a monologue or is there a dialogue and Paul said to the Romans listen to this devote yourself to prayer and he says in Colossians the whole chapter devoted self to prayer what does devote yourself to prayer me it's in an imperative tense which is a command devote yourself to prayer means you set aside time for it you are serious about it it is a priority in your life devote yourself to prayer give it an uninterrupted time think clearly about what you're talking to God about be serious about it not something you add on you see for most people prayer is an add-on it's it's an add-on to doing this doing that doing that and before I go to bed I'm on a little quick prayer I know you've got to give him time you've got to have a relationship with him and so when he says devote yourself to prayer devote yourself means you set us at a time that is the priority of Prayer means I place importance on it I place a position it's first in my life every single one of us can start the day off with prayer amen you can that you may not but you can before you get out of bed you ought to be talking to God you don't know whether you gonna be able to get back in that bed again or not life is uncertain and yet God is so certain he wants prayer to be a priority in your life and that is my prayer that you would do the most important thing you will do in your life everyday and give God the time that he deserves listen to do what to set you up in a position to bless you the way he wants to bless you to have you in the right place doing what he wants to do in your life giving you the bird thing you're asking for but in the way he wants to do it so you have to ask yourself the question do I love him enough do I care enough do I believe that he wants to do that in my life now what I want to do is I want to give you a list of things to think about and that is I say that prayers our most profitable activity I want to give you a list of items about 12 items right there ones down that you think most affect you and the first as simply this prayer is the method by which God meets our needs my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus he comforts us in time of trial and heartache how through prayer prayer is a time of comforting he assures us of his presence and is willing to help us thirdly it's a channel to which we built an intimate relationship with him which we just talked about when you're being quiet listening to him we build intimacy with him we since his love we feel his love it's like he puts his arms around us he strengthens us in time of temptation you find just have been tempted by something of somebody or some situation or some opportunity and you say to God and the Bible says no temptation taken you but such as is common to man but God will enable you it's in prayer Lord strengthen me don't let me see that don't let me think about that boy I just blocked it out of my mind God he will answer that prayer then of course think about this if we confess our sins to Almighty God if we confess our sins to him he's faithful listen to it he's faithful he's trustworthy he's always there faithful and just that means he has the right to forgive because he died on the cross paid our sin-debt he's faithful in to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness that's a promise we have from God and so all of us have prayed and ask him to forgive us not on the basis that we deserve it but because he promises that he will forgive us likewise it's a source of guidance for direction for example we have decisions we have to make and he says he will guide us with his eye upon us and so if I want God's guidance I need to take time in prayer and listen to him Lord what are you what would you have me to do and oftentimes we would be heading in the wrong direction now watch this carefully listening say men you better listen if you're praying and all of a sudden you think well this is what I think I will do and you get a little static that's what I call it a little static in your heart if you know what I mean you've been praying if you don't know what I mean you haven't been praying we've all got static at times you think you'd this is the thing that you ought to do and yet something deep down inside is what we would say that's the Spirit of God saying no no no no when you shut that off you've said to God I'm not interested in your opinion I've asked you for it but you don't agree with me what I want to do is I'm gonna do it in a way people make tragic decisions by muffling the voice of God if you think about your whole life your whole life is depended upon the date all these things we've said about what God does for us we're all dependent upon it your next breath any one of us could die in the next moment with a heart attack we're dependent upon him for every single thing in life and therefore a prayer ought to be not attack on not add on but I made you part of their life then I think for example we need God to help us understand this word and I don't I think I could say I don't ever open this book to read a passage of Scripture that I don't say in there Lord speak to my heart don't I'm not asking you to give me a message for somebody else I want you to speak to me about me if there's something you want to do in my life I want you to speak to me there's the preachings not all about me it's all about you getting your word to all of us but I want you to begin with me it's something in my life you want to clean up some sense of direction what's something whatever it might be and so we have to be honest about those things Lord speak to my heart about your word what are you saying to me then for example prayer is a shield against anxiety and worry all of us could think about something to worry about prayers a shield you know I had such shield in the midst of our pain our hurt or I fear God reminds us that he's a God of grace and he has everything under control and somehow he's gonna work it all out no matter what happens all of us go through those things and all of us need the shield that prayer provides we receive courage and confidence who are facing challenges and I think back in my life and the challenges I faced I couldn't begin a number of those but you know what I've discovered I never got on my knees before any challenge that God didn't reassure me that somehow in some way he was gonna work it out and I've been through some tough times but he's always been there always the shield and protect us listen lest some burdens be so huge and mighty and heavy they would absolutely break us and shatter us but he's there to put a shield because he's going to control how much you have to face he controls the weight of the bird he controls the time of the burden and he controls the source of the burden and for his children he has limitations to those loads whatever they might be then for example when you not need emotional healing a physical healing what is the first thing we should do is then Lord I don't know what this is about I want to ask you to give me God in some direction and sometimes we get bad news sometimes when we get the good news and I can remember last year when I fell I remember the first thing came out of my mouth God what are you up to which is a good example of praying without ceasing I was immediately recurring in my prayer he got what are you up to I didn't even think about what I felt it's where I was lying on the floor sort of helpless and what are you up to because I knew that he I couldn't fall unless he permitted it and did I like it none of it I didn't like any of it but you know what I knew he was in control and though he'd bring me through it I know he'd be faithful no matter what that's the kind of God we serve how foolish to try to live in this world we live in and ignore the one true God and the only God who can help you think about this you can't face in his situation that he doesn't know all about he knows all about it before during and afterwards because he loves you he's a God willing to help you if you will in the cry out to him and ask him to give you direction and he's a God who will give you the watch this the energy the strength that's what power is old power is all about energy strength to face and circumstances and that's what the Holy Spirit is all about he who is within you will empower you and strengthen you and enable you and gift you with whatever's necessary to bring you through whatever you are facing in life and then the last thing I would say about that is this think about this because you're a child of God because he's the God of this whole universe he controls and rules over all things you you as a follower of Jesus Christ you have the privilege you have the opportunity you have the power so to speak to touch anybody anywhere in the world because it's this holy triangle here you are is the person you're praying for and here is God you talk to God God sees them what does he do he answers your petition you get blessed only a follower of Jesus has the power to touch anybody anywhere in the world with the grace of God now can you tell me why prayer should not be a priority it should be a priority in our life and my friend listen carefully you may have everything in the world anybody could ever want but if you don't have Christ in your life you're missing the most important person in your life secondly if you are a believer in Jesus and you don't have a strong prayer life you're missing out on what God has for you he has the best for you and he will use you if you will allow him and that requires time with him are you going to listen to this message and develop a new relationship with God are you going to ask him to forgive you for being prayerless missing opportunities missing blessings missing wonderful things that God has in store for you because you've not prayed and are you gonna ask God to forgive you for that and telling that beginning today or beginning tonight whenever it is Lord teach me to pray i humble myself before you lord and i want to get into your word and I want you to lead me to read what I need to read and you speak to my heart and father teach me to pray and they become a valuable vessel in your kingdom and I can assure you one thing he will answer that prayer father had grateful we are that you patient with us willing to teach us willing to grace us with the blessings willing to dialogue with us to speak with us and have a speak with you I pray the Spirit of God will seal this message in the heart of every person who hears it today tomorrow and years to come here and around the world in Jesus name Amen [Music] you [Music]

Channel: In Touch Ministries

Views: 866,906

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Keywords: Charles F. Stanley, Charles Stanley, In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley, In Touch Ministries, Preaching, Bible teaching, Dr. Stanley, Intouch ministries, intouch

Id: yMQ79ANw-ts

Length: 36min 13sec (2173 seconds)

Published: Fri Apr 17 2020