1 John 5:14-15 - PRAYING INTELLIGENTLY

1 JOHN 5:14-15

PRAYING INTELLIGENTLY

REAL CHRISTIANITY #18

“Police in Wichita, Kansas, arrested a 22-year-old man at an airport hotel after he tried to pass two (counterfeit) $16 bills.”

A company trying to continue its five-year perfect safety record showed its workers a film aimed at encouraging the use of safety goggles on the job. According to Industrial Machinery News, the film's depiction of gory industrial accidents was so graphic that twenty-five workers suffered minor injuries in their rush to leave the screening room. Thirteen others fainted, and one man required seven stitches after he cut his head falling off a chair while watching the film.

The Chico, California, City Council enacted a ban on nuclear weapons, setting a $500 fine for anyone detonating one within city limits.

Police in Radnor, Pennsylvania, interrogated a suspect by placing a metal colander on his head and connecting it with wires to a photocopy machine. The message "He's lying" was placed in the copier, and police pressed the copy button each time they thought the suspect wasn't telling the truth. Believing the "lie detector" was working, the suspect confessed.

“I was checking out at the local Foodland with just a few items and the lady behind me put her things on the belt close to mine. I picked up one of those dividers that they keep by the cash register and placed it between our things so they wouldn't get mixed. After the girl had scanned all of my items, she picked up the divider looking it all over for the bar code so she could scan it. Not finding the bar code she said to me ‘Do you know how much this is?’

I said to her, ‘I've changed my mind, I don't think I'll buy that today’. She said, ‘OK,’ and I paid her for the things and left. She had no clue to what had just happened...’ These illustrations from Holwick’s Illustrations.

We laugh at some of the unintelligent things people do.

But there are times when a lack of intelligence is wasteful, hurtful or downright dangerous.

Believe it or not, one of the times that a lack of intelligence can hurt us is when we pray. If we don’t know what to pray for and how when we pray, we will be wasting our own time and God’s time. God’s work and God’s will are accomplished in response to our prayers. God has ordained that Christians should pray and that He will accomplish His purposes in answer to our prayers.

1 John 5:14-15 - And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: [15] And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Notice that we can come confidently or boldly to God.

We don’t need to be wimpy in the way we ask our requests.

Notice that our confidence is in Him, I believe it is referring to God the Son here, the Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed Jesus promised that He would answer our prayers.

John 14:13-14 - And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14] If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

When we ask something in Jesus’ name, we have to believe that it is, as it says in 1 John 5:14, according to his will.

If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

When God hears us, it is with the intent of answering our request. He will answer it.

That’s great. But it gets even better!

And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

When we pray according to God’s will, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him. It’s already accomplished before we see the answer!

This promise behooves us to pray two ways, obediently and intelligently.

We must first pray obediently, doing what God tells us to do, confessing sin, and serving Him.

1 John 3:22 - And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

We must also pray intelligently according to his will.

Every one of our requests must be yielded to God’s will instead of being our own selfish ambition.

Jesus taught us to pray thy kingdom come, thy will be done.

Although I am to yield myself in prayer to God’s will being done, I must realize that in many, many, cases, I already know what God’s will is, so I can ask for it confidently in the name of the Lord Jesus.

This morning, I would like to share with you six areas in which you can pray and mostly know what the will of God is before you ask.

When you pray intelligently, you should pray for:

SELF

SOVEREIGNS

SOULS

SAINTS

SITUATIONS

SUPPLIES

Let me remind you that asking is only part of prayer.

Philippians 4:6 - Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

According to Kenneth Wuest, “The word ‘prayer’ is the translation of a Greek word which speaks of prayer addressed to God as an act of Worship.” Kenneth Wuest, Philippians in the Greek New Testament, (Grand Rapids, Michigan, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1942) p. 110

When we come to God, unless it’s an emergency, we should come worshipping Him, giving Him adoration and praise!

Psalm 92:1-2 - It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: [2] To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,

It is appropriate for you to have your own private hymn and chorus sing as you come before God in prayer.

Notice also that our requests should be made with thanksgiving!

1 Thessalonians 5:18 - In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

When we pray, we need to pray for

SELF

If you know Jesus as your Savior, you’re a saved sinner, but you’re still a sinner! You have a new nature and a new want to serve God, but you still have a tendency to sin and to have spiritual difficulties.

So how do you pray for yourself?

Praying for yourself is easy when you remember that you can’t do anything without God’s help!

You can’t think right without God’s help.

You can’t live righteously without God’s help.

You can’t speak or teach about God without God’s help.

You can’t witness without God’s help.

You can’t successfully raise a family without God’s help.

You can’t assist others without God’s help.

You can’t resist temptation and Satan without God’s help.

John 15:5 - I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

God has provided you with a wonderful gift that you can ask for at anytime. Whenever you need it, you can ask for it. It is the same gift that helped save you. That gift in his grace!

You were saved by grace, his unmerited enabling favor!

Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.

You can obey any command by His grace.

You can forgive by His grace.

You can witness by His grace.

You can endure hardship by His grace.

You can flee temptation by His grace.

You can live righteously by His grace.

You can witness by His grace.

2 Corinthians 12:9 - And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Hebrews 12:28 - Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

Whatever it is that you know that God wants you to do, you should consistently ask God for the grace to accomplish it.

If you read Scripture and are convicted that you’re doing something wrong or need to do something right, ask Him for the grace to do it.

Another thing that you should ask for continually is the filling of the Holy Spirit. Ask God to control you through His Spirit. It is His will that you be filled with the Spirit, ask Him!

Ephesians 5:18 - And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Luke 11:13 - If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

We fail so miserably in our Christian lives because we fail to pray for ourselves in total helplessness to a God who will enable us if we only ask!

I told you about the little boy who was trying to move a huge rock. He couldn’t budge it. His father was watching, and asked, “Son are you using all your strength?”

“I sure am, Dad,” came the response.

“No, you’re not,” the father answered. “You didn’t ask me for help!”

Picture God saying to you, “My child are you using all your strength?”

Picture yourself answering, “I sure am Father!”

Picture God saying, “No you’re not, you didn’t ask me for help.”

When we pray intelligently, we will pray for self.

SELF

SOVEREIGNS

Please turn to 1 Timothy 2:1.

1 Timothy 2:1-2 - I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; [2] For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

Romans 13:1 - Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

Prayers need to be made for all, but governmental leaders especially need our prayers. We should pray for them, starting with the heads of state like presidents, prime ministers, and kings, and praying for all in authority over us. They have great responsibilities and need our prayers.

The goal of our prayers is that we might lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty. When we are able to live in peace with others it is easier to spread the Gospel in peace.

In this passage we are not only to pray for SOVEREIGNS, but we are to pray for

SOULS

We are to pray for all men according to verse 1.

The great majority of those men are unsaved people who need to hear the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In 1 Timothy 2:3-4 Paul tells us God’s opinion of prayer for all men, especially rulers.

1 Timothy 2:3-4 - For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; [4] Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

· I believe that this means we should be praying for those we know who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.

· I believe that this means we should pray in general for those in our neighborhood, city, state and country who don’t know Christ as Savior

· I believe this means that we should pray asking God to send missionaries to all areas of the world, especially those we know to be in need.

Luke 10:2 - Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

· I believe this means that we should be praying for our missionaries that their outreach will be effective.

God is burdened for the souls of men and women.

As His children, we should have the same burden.

That burden is first reflected in prayer, then giving to missions, and then going ourselves.

We should pray for:

SELF

SOVEREIGNS

SOULS

SAINTS

Please turn back to 1 John 5.

One of the great responsibilities we have as Christians is to pray for each other.

Ephesians 6:18 - Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Most of the time all we know to pray for is those who are sick. This, of course, is an important prayer and Biblical.

However, there is more to prayer and the Bible shows us several ways we should pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ. One way to do this is to pray a “blessing” upon fellow believers.

Numbers 6:24-26 - The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: [25] The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: [26] The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

Another way to pray for the saints is to pray the way Paul prayed for them in Ephesians 1, Ephesians 3, Philippians 1, and Colossians 1. I list one of these prayers in the prayer sheet each week. One example of this type of praying is Philippians 1:9-11.

Philippians 1:9-11 - And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; [10] That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; [11] Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

There is another way to pray for the saints found right here in 1 John.

1 John 5:16 - If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

This is a very controversial verse, and there are many opinions out there as to what it means. This is how I understand it.

Notice that the one who is sinning is a “brother”.

We are talking about a fellow born-again Christian here.

So, the sin unto death can not be Spiritual death in hell, but physical death.

The “sin unto death” is evidently not a specific sin that causes physical death, but can be any sin. The sin unto death seems to be an ongoing sin habit or a great sin that causes shame to the cause of Christ. If the person refuses to repent, he or she could be removed and taken to Heaven “prematurely”.

Ananias and Sapphira are examples of this in Acts 5.

Another example are those found in 1 Corinthians 11:29-31.

For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. [30] For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. [31] For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

John’s main concern however, is not for those who have gone to extremes in their rebellion against God.

John is talking about praying for those Christians we know and we see sin in their lives. It might be as simple as a lack of church attendance, or a bad attitude towards someone. It might be that they are being a poor testimony in some way.

All Christians will have times when sin is in our lives, simply because we are human.

1 John 1:8 - If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

John is saying that we should pray for these people. We should ask God to speak to them, to work in their lives to bring them to repentance. Their sins don’t seem to be extreme, and God will give them “life”, as we pray.

We should pray for that brother or sister because we love them and want them to have abundant life that comes from getting right with God.

There are going to be times when God will use you as the answer to the prayer.

Galatians 6:1-2 - Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. [2] Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

We should pray for:

SELF

SOVEREIGNS

SOULS

SAINTS

SITUATIONS

We don’t have time to develop the last two areas of prayer, but let’s briefly consider them.

When there is a situation that concerns us, we can pray for it, believing God will work.

Philippians 4:6-7 - Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. [7] And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

SUPPLIES

Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us this day out daily bread.”

I believe that “bread” covers all our basic needs.

We have a legitimate need we should pray, believing that God will supply it.

You remember that Pastor Hall once had a need for a car.

He and his wife prayed for the exact need and the exact car, and God provided it through an anonymous gift.

The one who is living for the Lord and giving sacrificially himself can expect God’s provision.

Philippians 4:18-19 - But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. [19] But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

So let’s pray intelligently for:

SELF

SOVEREIGNS

SOULS

SAINTS

SITUATIONS

SUPPLIES

PRAYING INTELLIGENTLY

· PRAY FOR SELF

Hebrews 12:28 - Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

Luke 11:13 - If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

· PRAY FOR SOVEREIGNS

· PRAY FOR SOULS

1 Timothy 2:3-4 - For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; [4] Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

(Over)

Luke 10:2 - Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

· PRAY FOR SAINTS

Also see: Ephesians 1:17-20, 3:16-21, Colossians 1:9-14

· PRAY FOR SITUATIONS

Philippians 4:6 - Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

· PRAY FOR SUPPLIES

Matthew 6:11 - Give us this day our daily bread.