Acceptable Prayer Acceptable Prayer Worship, Prayer

Introduction God speaks to us through the Bible We speak to Him through prayer In prayer we make our thoughts known to the mind of God

1 Th. 5:17 Pray without ceasing (Pray at every opportunity)

I. Who Can Pray? Whose prayer does God hear? Only God’s children have the privilege or prayer The privilege of prayer is for those in Christ

1 Pet. 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

Js. 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Does God hear the prayers of sinners? Yes, He hears them but he does not answer them!

Ps. 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

Prov. 15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous

Is. 59:1-2 Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

God helps those who are seeking the truth Jn. 7:17 “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.”

Cornelius This man was not a Christian He believed in God and wanted to be saved God sent Peter to teach him what to do to be saved

Acts 11:13-14 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.

To repeat: Only God’s children have the privilege or prayer The privilege of prayer is for those in Christ

Eph. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ

2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Gal. 3:26-28 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus

Rom. 6:3-4 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

II. The prayer of the NT Christian 1. Praise Lk. 11:2 “And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.”

2. Thanksgiving 1 Tim. 2:1 “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men”

3. Confession Lk. 11:4 “And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.”

1 Jn. 1:7-9 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Acts 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

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

5. Intercession 2 Th. 3:1 “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you”