Monday, November 17, 2008

The Prayer Habit

I just completed auditing a great ISOM course on Prayer and Worship. I plan to require myself to re-study these principles on a regular basis. Below, I have pasted the outline from my sermon yesterday which was based on notes from the class. If you need a sermon, "This will preach" :


"The meaning of prayer is that we get hold of God, not of His answer. It is God we must have. He is more than enough for all that we need."

Life is too busy, and the important always gets swallowed in the tyranny of the urgent.


Prayer is the pathway to God’s Presence (John 7:37-38)

Jesus told us to come to Him if we are thirsty.

The neglect of the soul is a sure path to burnout

What does a healthy soul look like?

1. A continuing experience of grace
2. A sense of expectancy that is rooted in faith
3. The ability to respond to and see life from God’s perspective
4. Resilience
5. Compassion
6. Zeal
7. Integrity
8. Gratitude

Prayer was a common feature in the lifestyle of the early church
Prayer was the vehicle by which the Holy Spirit was poured out
Prayer was the vehicle for Miracles, Signs, and Wonders
Prayer was the means of Confirming and Commissioning God’s choice of Leadership
Prayer was the vehicle for Divine Guidance
Prayer was the Church’s Response to Persecution and Opposition

Prerequisites for hearing God’s voice

We must recognize the importance of Seeking God’s voice
We must commit to obeying God’s voice
We must stop long enough to hear God’s voice
We must learn to recognize God’s voice
We must anticipate hearing God’s voice

Seven Habits of Effective Pray-ers

1. Hearts in order
2. Houses in order
3. Persistence
4. Eternal Perspective
5. Bold Expectancy of Results
6. Pray according to the Will of God
7. Recognition of the seasons of the soul

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