The Power of Praying for Your Family

Prayer is an unnatural activity.

PRAYER IS THE KEY TO UNLOCKING GOD’S CONSISTENT AND PREVAILING POWER IN OUR FAMILIES.
Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1 NLT

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7 NIV

God’s power can change circumstances and relationships

As you grow in prayer, God will reveal more of Himself to you, breathing more of His life into your life.

The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. Psalm 145:18 NLT

Perfect peace comes only through relating with the Peacemaker himself.

GOD THE FATHER WANTS TO HEAR FROM US AND BLESS US.
1 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 2 “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. 3A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’” 6 Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. 7Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” Luke 18:1-8 NLT
● This parable is a contrast.
● We are not abandoned.
● We are God’s children.
● We must know that He loves to hear our voice.

5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Matthew 6:5-8 NIV

● Pray regularly
● Pray privately
● Pray sincerely
● Pray specifically

9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:9-15 NIV

A Pattern for Prayer
● Adoration (entering holy space)
● Confession (naming our faults)
● Thanksgiving (expressing gratitude)
● Supplication (asking for help)

21 Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. 22You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.” Matthew 21:21-22 NLT

We must shift the focus from the size of our mountain to the sufficiency of our God.

THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF UNANSWERED PRAYER:
● We don’t pray.
● We have unconfessed sin.
● We have unresolved relational conflict.
● We pray with selfish motives.
● We don’t care about others in need.

THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF UNANSWERED PRAYER:
● We don’t pray.
● We have unconfessed sin.
● We have unresolved relational conflict.
● We pray with selfish motives.
● We don’t care about others in need.