DOING WHAT I CAN DO…

through Prayer

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   The theme for OceanSide this year is:  “Doing What I Can Do…”

 

B.   A breakdown:

1.    Doing:  activity

2.    What:  various actions and works

3.    I:  personally

4.    Can do:  that which is really possible

 

C.   We sometimes believe that doing what we can do involves big things, and, it can.

1.    Becoming leaders

2.    Teaching others the gospel

3.    Serving in a teaching capacity

4.    Fulfilling our role in the body of Christ

 

D.   Sometimes, we must do what we can do in the smaller things, or, perhaps they should be called, the more private things.

 

E.   Prayer is one of those things (Matt. 6:6).

 

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

 

F.    Let’s look at the topic:  “Doing What I Can Do…through Prayer.”

 

I.             PRAYER IS A “DOING” THING

 

A.   We are commanded to prayer (1 Thess. 5:18)

 

Pray without ceasing.

 

B.   Prayer has been defined as simply:  “Talking to God.”

 

C.   Regardless of how simple it is defined, it involves “doing” a thing. 

1.    In other words, it is something that must be done.

2.    It requires action on the part of the person doing it.

a.    The mind must be focused on the Father (Matt. 6:9).

 

After this manner therefore pray ye:  Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

 

b.    The heart must be sincere and fervent (Ps. 62:8; Jam. 5:16).

 

…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

 

c.    Words must be uttered (Phil. 4:6).

 

Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

 

d.    The body must be willing to endure until the prayer is heard (Luke 11:8).

 

D.   What’s interesting about prayer is that most will admit that it is the hardest simplest thing that the Christian does.

1.    Many Christians are not satisfied with their prayer lives.

2.    Many are like the disciples of old, and cry out:  “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).

 

II.           BIBLE GREATS ENGAGED IN PRAYER

 

A.   “So Abraham prayed unto God” (Gen. 20:17).

 

B.   “…Moses prayed unto the Lord…” (Num. 11:2).

 

C.   “And she was in bitterness of the soul, and prayed unto the Lord…” (1 Sam. 1:10).

 

D.   “…And Samuel prayed unto the Lord” (1 Sam. 8:6).

 

E.   “And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord…” (1 Kings 6:17).

 

F.    “And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord…” (2 Kings 19:15).

 

G.   “Now when Ezra had prayed…” (Eza 10:1).

 

H.   “…So I prayed to the God of heaven” (Neh. 2:4).

 

I.     “Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God…” (Jon. 2:1).

 

J.    “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed” (Mark 1:35).

 

K.   “But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed…” (Acts 9:40).

 

L.    “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed…” (Acts 16:25).

 

III.         HOW TO “DO” PRAYER BETTER

 

A.   Appreciate the one to whom we are praying.

1.    Matthew 6:9

 

After this manner therefore pray ye:  Our Father which art in heaven…

 

2.    We are not speaking to a man when we pray.

3.    We are speaking to the Supreme Being of the Universe:  Creator, the Giver of Life, the Almighty, the Redeemer, the Giver of all good and perfect gift, the
Governor of the nations, and the Judge of all the earth.

 

B.   Set aside regular times in the day to pray.

1.    Psalm 55:17

 

Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray…

 

2.    Daniel entered into his house and prayed three times a day (Dan. 6:10).

 

C.   Find a place free of distractions.

1.    Jesus exhorts us to enter into our closet and close the door when we pray (Matt. 6:6).

2.    In Mark 1:35, Jesus went out into a “solitary place” to pray. 

3.    In Matthew 14:23, we read that Jesus went out into a mountain to pray.

4.    Even in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus separated Himself from His disciples as He prayed (Luke 22:41).

 

And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed.

 

D.   Learn how to pray different types of prayers.

1.    Many times we only approach God with our requests. 

2.    Variety adds life to our prayers.

3.    Some of the kinds of prayers we can offer:

a.    Prayers of praise (Heb. 13:15)

b.    Prayers of intercession (1 Tim. 2:1)

c.    Prayers of thanksgiving (Col. 4:2)

d.    Prayers for specific things (Luke 22:32)

e.    Prayers for God’s providence (Neh. 2:4-8)

f.     Prayers for healing (2 Kings 20:1-6)

g.    Prayers for rulers (1 Tim. 2:2)

 

E.   Pray with fervency.

1.    “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (Jam. 5:16).

2.    Fervent:  to be active, operative, to put forth power (Thayer)

3.    Examples:

a.    Hannah (1 Sam. 1:10)

 

And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.

 

b.    Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:2, 3, 5)

 

…and prayed unto the Lord…And Hezehiah wept sore…Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears…”

 

c.    Epaphras (Col. 4:12)

 

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

 

d.    Jesus

1)    Luke 22:44

 

And being in agony he prayed more earnestly:  and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

 

2)    Hebrews 5:7

 

Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared.

 

F.    Pray for specific things.

1.    We should go to God with extremely specific requests:  names of people, wants that we have, those we desire to have healed, plans that we are making, etc.

2.    Examples:

a.    Abraham’s servant prayed for a specific damsel to be the one Abraham longed for his son’s wife (Gen. 24:14-15).

b.    Hannah prayed for a man child (1 Sam. 1:11).

c.    The Lord prayed specifically for Peter (Luke 22:32).

d.    The Lord prayed for the cup to pass from him (Matt. 26:39).

e.    Paul prayed for his thorn in the side to be removed (2 Cor. 12:8)

 

G.   Never quit praying

1.    “…that man ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1)

2.    “…continuing instant in prayer” (Rom. 12:12).

3.    “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit…” (Eph. 6:18).

4.    “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving” (Col. 4:2).

5.    “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17).

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   We must do all we can do through prayer.

 

B.   Prayer changes things.

1.    Prayer changes lives.

2.    Prayer changes nations.

3.    Prayer changes history.

4.    Prayer changes destiny.

 

C.   Let’s become so good at prayer that the Lord says, “There he is again,” instead of saying, “Whose is this voice that I hear?”

 

D.   Psalm 5:2

 

Hearken unto the voice of my cry, My King, and my God:  for unto thee will I pray.