PRAYER & PROVIDENCE

PRAYER DEFINED An address to God expressing requests and/or thanksgiving. Supplication and intercession. Prayer is the means by which children of God address Him to ask for things we need and desire, both for ourselves and others, and to offer thanksgiving and praise to God.

PROVIDENCE DEFINED The means by which God responds to our needs, petitions and supplications. –General Providence – benefits all men generally (Matthew 5:45). –Special Providence – benefits God’s children alone (Deut. 4:40; 5:33; Romans 8:28; Phil. 4:19).

IN THE PAST GOD SOMETIMES WORKED SUPERNATURALLY When God worked supernaturally everyone knew it was God working (John 3:2; Acts 4:16). God does not work this way today (1 Cor. 13:8-10; Eph. 4:11-13; John 20:30-31; Mark 16:19-20). God’s providential working today cannot be positively and dogmatically identified.

Illustrations Esther 4:14 – “Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Philemon 15 – “For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever.” Romans 8:28 – “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

PRAYER AND PROVIDENCE ARE COMPLEMENTARY faithful children prayAs God’s faithful children pray, God’s providence operates. is man’s duty and privilege –Prayer is man’s duty and privilege of addressing his Creator. God’s response to our needs and petitions –Providence is God’s response to our needs and petitions.

GOD WILL ANSWER OUR PRAYERS BECAUSE OF HIS NATURE God is gracious.God is gracious. –Exodus 22:27 “…And it will be that when he cries to Me, I will hear, for I am gracious.” God is good.God is good. –Romans 2:4 “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”

GOD WILL ANSWER OUR PRAYERS BECAUSE OF HIS NATURE God is loving.God is loving. –Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God is generous.God is generous. –Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” God cares for us.God cares for us. –1 Peter 5:7 “…casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

GOD WILL ANSWER OUR PRAYERS BECAUSE HE IS OUR FATHER Mat 7:9-11 "Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"

GOD WILL ANSWER OUR PRAYERS BECAUSE HE HAS PROMISED TO John 9:31 "Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him."

GOD WILL ANSWER OUR PRAYERS BECAUSE HE HAS PROMISED TO James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 5:16 - Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

GOD WILL ANSWER OUR PRAYERS BECAUSE HE HAS PROMISED TO Matthew 6:6 "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 6:9-13 "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

GOD WILL ANSWER OUR PRAYERS BECAUSE HE HAS PROMISED TO Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

GOD WILL ANSWER PRAYER WHEN WE COMPLY WITH HIS CONDITIONS God’s general providence is unconditional. –(Matt. 5:45), for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

GOD WILL ANSWER PRAYER WHEN WE COMPLY WITH HIS CONDITIONS Every spiritual blessing that one may seek from God in His Special Providence is conditional. –One must obey the gospel. (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38 etc…) –One must remain faithful (Rev. 2:10). –One must obey (Heb. 5:8-9). –One must “walk in the light” (1 John 1:6-9). There are no spiritual blessings without conditions.

PRAYER IS A SPIRITUAL BLESSING WHICH HAS CONDITIONS Matthew 6:5, "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.“ James 1:6-7, "But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;“ Matthew 21:22, "And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

PRAYER IS A SPIRITUAL BLESSING WHICH HAS CONDITIONS Humility. –"not my will, but Yours, be done." (Luke 22:42) –"God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.“ (James 4:6)

PRAYER IS A SPIRITUAL BLESSING WHICH HAS CONDITIONS A humble attitude produces a spirit of dependence on God. –“Give us this day our daily bread…” (Matthew 6:11). –Our prayers should explicitly refer to this sense of dependency we feel, for such is the fruit of genuine humility.

GOD WILL ANSWER WHEN WE PRAY ACCORDING TO HIS WILL 1 John 5:14 "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.“ Acts 22:16 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.' James 4:3 "You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.."

GOD ANSWERS THE PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL John 9:31 "We know that God does not hear sinners.“ Prov. 28:9 - "One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.“ 1 John 3:22, "And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight."

PRAYER & PROVIDENCE It is God’s nature to answer prayer. He has promised to answer prayer. We must comply with His conditions. We must ask in faith, in humility, and in harmony with His will. We must be serving Him faithfully. 1 Thess. 5:17 “…pray without ceasing”