Pray Confidently, February 1, 2009 Lesson

There is nothing more important than our relationship with God. What role does communication play in a healthy relationship? How do we talk with God?

Proverbs 3:5-6 5. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6. in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

I love this verse and it is one that God is using in my life. How does this verse tie in with our prayer life?

I want us to focus on the words: in all your ways acknowledge him.

What does 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tell us? 16. Be joyful always; 17. pray continually; 18. give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

I believe for us to pray continually we must first acknowledge God in all things.

Prayer is so powerful! Prayer is entering into the presence of God! Prayer is experiencing God’s love! Prayer is desiring God’s will! Prayer is sharing your heart with God! Prayer is where we go for forgiveness! Prayer is on our knees seeing God for who he is! Prayer is needed more than we realize!

This month we will be looking at prayer and how to pray with power. Today we are going to be in Psalm 86 and the title of our lesson is Pray Confidently. The scripture will show us how David kept his focus on the character of God and by doing so he prayed with confidence. I want to challenge us to look at how we currently pray and what it says about our relationship with God.

Before we go to our scriptures for the day let’s remember what James 1:22 says: Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Psalm 86:1-5 1. Hear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2. Guard my life, for I am devoted to you. You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you. 3. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to you all day long. 4. Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. 5. You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.

At the end of Chapter 86 we learn that David’s enemies seek to kill him and here we see David praying with passion to God.

How does David describe himself or how he approaches God?
-Poor and needy (totally dependent on)
-Devoted to you
-You are my God.
-Servant who trust you
-I call to you all day long.
-I lift up my soul to you.

How does David describe or view God?
-O Lord
-Protector of life
-My God
-Giver of mercy
-Provider of joy
-Forgiving and good
-Abounding in love

When David called on God he spoke about himself and about God. When we pray what do we say about ourselves and about God?

When we are confident in God’s character, how does that affect our prayers?

Psalm 86:6-10 6. Hear my prayer, O LORD; listen to my cry for mercy. 7. In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me. 8. Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; no deeds can compare with yours. 9. All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O Lord; they will bring glory to your name. 10. For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.

David is right on target “you alone are God”. As David continues to focus on God and who he is, you see that he is confident that God will respond to his prayer. If we to desire to have such confidence we to must stay focused on who God is. What are some of his characteristics? Omnipresent (God is everywhere) Omnipotent (God is all powerful) Unchanging Holy Great Awesome All knowing Provider Love Forgiving Protector Eternal Faithful Righteous Good Truthful Perfect Creator Merciful Pure.

The list goes on and on. Words can not describe the God I love and serve. As we pray focus on God. Express who he is. Depending on what is going on in your life, one of these characteristics could have more meaning for you at this time. That is ok, but make sure you let God know how grateful you are and give him the praise he so richly deserves.

Psalm 86:11-13 11. Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. 12. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. 13. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.

Teach me your way, O Lord should be every believer’s request.
And as God answers this request what is our response? To walk in your truth.

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 12. And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13. and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

Everyone read Psalm 86:11-13 again out loud.

2 Chronicles 7:14 14. If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Do we see where David humbles himself and prays? Where he seeks God? Where he turns from his wicked ways?

David prayed with great confidence because he prayed to a great God.
Not only do we pray to the same great God, but we have Jesus going to God on our behalf.

Hebrews 4:14-16 14. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

I thank God that we can go to him in our time of need.