Praying the Word of God

 2 Timothy 3:16-17

English Standard Version

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God] may be complete, equipped for every good work.

God wrote the Bible, but He used man to hold the pen. (Chris Hodges)

We read the Bible to allow it to change us.  

Just as we need to have the right tool to fix whatever is wrong in our houses.  

We need the right promise in God's Word to pray for each need.  

God's promise in God's Word is God's will.  

God's promise is what gives us the authority to ask. 

1 John 5:14

English Standard Version

14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

The secret is that we must apply God's specific promise that corresponds with each need that we are facing.   

How to honor

1.  We honor by putting others first. 

Malachi 1:6

New International Version

 

“A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty.

“It is you priests who show contempt for my name.

“But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’

2. We honor by our words.

James 3:9-10

New International Version

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

 

Ephesians 4:29-30

New International Version

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

 

3. We honor by protecting them.  

John 7:18

New International Version

Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.

 

Honor who?

Romans 12:10

English Standard Version

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Who or What to honor.  

1.  Honor others. 

1 Peter 2:17

English Standard Version

Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

2. Honor authority. 

Romans 13:1-2

New International Version

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

Types of authority...

A. Government

B. Work or School

C.  Family

D. Spiritual 

 

3.  Honor parents.

Ephesians 6:2-3

New International Version

2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” 

4.  Honor marriage. 

Hebrews 13:4

New International Version

Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 

1 Peter 3:7

New Living Translation 

In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.

 

5.  Honor age.

Leviticus 19:32

New Living Translation

“Stand up in the presence of the elderly, and show respect for the aged. Fear your God. I am the Lord.

Job 12:12

New Living Translation

Wisdom belongs to the aged,
    and understanding to the old.

 6.  Honor nature. 

 Genesis 1:28

New International Version

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

7.  Honor God.  

Malachi 1:6

New International Version

“A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty.

“It is you priests who show contempt for my name.

“But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?

How to get free

Jesus came to set us free, not to make us sorry.  Grace invites us to be set free.  Then, truth sets us free.  We can fulfill the command of God by falling in love with Him.  

Romans 5:8

2 Cor. 5:14

John 3:17

1 John 5:12 

Satan tries to get us to doubt God's Word.  Don't doubt God and sin.  We lose our innocence and become cynical and experience shame.  

Genesis 3:1-7

We can't fulfill God's law by striving for it.  We must focus on our heart.  Not the externals.  Instead of trying to get God's approve.  We must accept God's love for us.  

1 Samuel 16:7

1 John 5:3

John 14:15

John 5:39-40

How are you going to approach God?  Religion is doing more to get to God.  Grace is receiving what God has done for us already.   

 

Genesis 2:16-17

Miracles for the impossible

Matthew 19:26

Easy-to-Read Version

26 Jesus looked at them and said, “This is something that people cannot do. But God can do anything.”

1. We must remind ourselves who our God is.  

Don't base the answer to your prayers on your character, but God's character.  

 

 2 Chronicles 20:2-4

Easy-to-Read Version

2 Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “There is a large army coming against you from Edom. They are coming from the other side of the Dead Sea...

3 Jehoshaphat became afraid, and he decided to ask the Lord what to do. He announced a time of fasting for everyone in Judah. 

4 The people of Judah came together to ask the Lord for help. They came from out of all the towns of Judah to ask for the Lord’s help.

 

2. We must remind ourselves what God has done for us and others in the past.  

 

2 Chronicles 20:7

Easy-to-Read Version

(Jehoshaphat prayed) You are our God! You forced the people living in this land to leave. You did this in front of your people Israel. You gave this land to the descendants of Abraham forever. Abraham was your friend.

3. In faith, we ask God to do it again.  

2 Chronicles 20:12

Easy-to-Read Version

12 Our God, punish those people. We don’t have the strength to stop this large army that is coming against us. We don’t know what to do! We are looking to you for help.

Weapons of Mass Distraction

These words from the ancient prophet, Habakkuk, sound like they could have been written today.

Habakkuk 1:2-4  ESV

2 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help,

and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? 

3 Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. 

4 So the law is paralyzed,     and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous;     so justice goes forth perverted.

Habakkuk was watching the wrong news. Then, Habakkuk took his mind off the news, and put them on God.

Habakkuk 2:1-3 ESV

2 I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he (God) will say to me,     and what I will answer concerning my complaint.

2 And the Lord answered me:

“Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. 

3 For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it;     it will surely come; it will not delay.

We must turn the world's volume down to hear the voice of the Lord.  We are facing Satan's weapons of mass distraction.

We must tune in the voice of the Lord.  The Bible is the voice of the Lord in print.  We must tune in God's Word. Let's tune out worldly voices and tune in the voice of God. God's answer is on its way!  

The Spirit Empowered Life

1.  We are baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit when we are saved. 

 

1 Corinthians 12:13

ESV

13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body...and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

 

2. When we are baptized by water, we are making a public declaration of our faith.  

 

Acts 2:41

ESV

41 So those who received his word were (water) baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

 

3. When we are baptized in the Holy Spirit, we are filled by Him. We are enabled to live a Holy Spirit empowered life.

Acts 8:5

ESV

5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 

12 But when they believed (salvation) Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were (water) baptized, both men and women.  

14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, 

15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 

16 for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 

17 Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit (baptized in the Holy Spirit).

 

1 John 5:7-9

ESV

7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit (baptism) and the water (baptism) and the blood (salvation); and these three agree. 

 

Ezekiel 47:3-5

ESV

 

3 Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep (salvation). 

4 Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. (water baptism) 

5 Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through (Holy Spirit baptism).  

 

When we are saved, it is just the beginning.  When we are water baptized, we can fill the current because our feet are still on the ground.  When we are baptized in the Holy Spirit, He is in control. We are swimming.

 

Lord Jesus, please save me from me. I surrender my life to you.  Holy Spirit please come into my heart and take over.