Sunday April 15, 2007

The Spiritual Disciplines – Prayer Part II
Psalm 69:13-18

I. Introduction

A couple of weeks ago I introduced one of the disciplines we practice as we grow in our relationship with
God – the discipline of prayer.

Let’s quickly review what I said a couple of weeks ago about prayer.

A. What is Prayer?

Prayer in its basic form is simply talking with God.

When we pray we are making deliberate contact with God.

B. Why is Prayer Important?

  1. Prayer is important because through it we draw near to God.

  2. Prayer is important because it refocuses our perspective.

  3. Prayer is important because it quiets our fears.

  4. Prayer is important because it helps us to transfer our burdens to God.

  5. Prayer is important because it upholds others who are in need.

I am sure prayer is important for a number of other reasons, but that certainly states a few.

Today and again in two weeks, I want to focus on different types of prayer – again my list will not be exhaustive, but
you can search the Scriptures yourself and even learn more about prayer.

II. Types of Prayer

A. Prayer of Confession

The Scriptures make it clear that unconfessed sin will hinder our prayers.

Psalm 66:18 says, “If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” (NLT)

Also Proverbs 15:29 makes it clear that “The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.” (NRSV)

Sample prayer of confession –

While Psalm 51 is the most well known of biblical confessions, I would like to share an example from Nehemiah 1:4-7:

“When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.
5 Then I said, ‘O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, 6 listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day
for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! 7 We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your
servant Moses.’” (NLT)

Allow me to make a few quick observations.

  1. Confession begins when we see the connection between the decisions we make and their consequences.

Nehemiah has just heard that Jerusalem is in shambles – the walls have been torn down and the gates have
been burned with fire.

Instead of getting angry and blaming his enemies or declaring that he is some kind of victim (“woe is me”), he makes the connection that the trouble that has befallen Jerusalem is a direct response to the sins of the people.

Having made this connection he mourns, fasts and prays to God, which leads me to my second observation.

  2. Confession should not be taken lightly.

“When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.” (verse 4)

Now, I understand that if we spent days mourning and confessing every sin, that is all we would ever do – the point is to
take your sin seriously, and when you do sin confess it thoroughly and honestly to God.

In fact, there are many of you here today that are stuck in perpetual confession (which is not true confession). You are so loaded done with guilt and shame that your constant prayer is one of sorrow and seeking forgiveness.

I have a word for you today – YOU ARE FORGIVEN!

Even after spending days before God, the Scriptures show that Nehemiah had to move on with his life and eventually was used by God to answer his own prayer.

  3. Our confession is to be made with a confidence that God hears and forgives.

“O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who
love him and obey his commands, listen to my prayer!” (verses 5 and 6)

B. Prayer for Help

I think this is the most common type of prayer and rightly so, as we are continually in need of God’s help in essentially
every area of our lives.

What are some things you ask God for help in?

Sample prayer for help:

“But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast
love, answer me. With your faithful help 14 rescue me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters. 15 Do not let the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, or the Pit close its mouth over me. 16 Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me. 17 Do not hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress — make haste to answer me. 18 Draw near to me, redeem me, set me free because of my enemies.” (Psalm 69:13-18, NRSV)

C. Prayer of Thanks

While the prayer asking for help may be the most common form of prayer, the prayer of thanksgiving may be the
most neglected.

We may neglect to thank God daily for His many blessings, but David felt it was so important that he established a choir
that constantly gave thanks in the temple.

“With them were Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest of those chosen and expressly named to render thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever. 42 Heman and Jeduthun had with them trumpets and cymbals for the music, and instruments for sacred song.” (1 Chronicles 16:41-42, NRSV)

Sample Prayer of Thanks:

“Praise the Lord! I will thank the Lord with all my heart as I meet with his godly people. 2 How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them. 3 Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails. 4 He causes us to remember his wonderful works. How gracious and merciful is our Lord! 5 He gives food to those who fear him; he always remembers his covenant. 6 He has shown his great power to his people by giving them the lands of other nations. 7 All he does is just and good, and all his commandments are trustworthy. 8 They are forever true, to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity. 9 He has paid a full ransom for his people. He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever. What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has! 10 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever!” (Psalm 111, NLT)

III. Application

Today we have looked at three types of prayer: the prayer of confession, the prayer for help, and the prayer of thanks.

What I would like you to do is take about five minutes and simply pray through these three types of prayer.

You can pray using the Scriptures provided (the sample prayers), or just pray through the three areas as you feel led to do.

Once again, I am not interested in just talking about prayer – we need to do prayer. So now we have an opportunity.