Transcript ® Chapters 1-3 www.praytimer.org • The Bible study sessions help believers and unbelievers discover the source of effective prayer. Chapter One Following Christ in Biblical Prayer  Even.

®
Chapters
1-3
www.praytimer.org
• The Bible study sessions help believers
and unbelievers discover the source of
effective prayer.
Chapter One
Following Christ in Biblical Prayer
 Even people who believe in prayer and
have seen its power wake up one
morning to discover that their prayer
life is powerless.
 Many desire to renew a personal
passion for prayer. Believers know in
their spirit that obedience to the living
Lord means responding with a lifestyle
that allows unceasing prayer (see 1
Thess. 5:17).
 Satan hates prayer. He prefers that
believers do anything except pray.
 Don’t rely on processes and models to
program prayer (see Zech. 4:6).
Biblical Prayer
 Prayer is popular.
 People pray for 5 minutes or less a day.
 George Barna indicates that 83% of
North Americans pray during a typical
week, but only 39% consider
themselves “born again Christians.”
 “9 out of 10 adults believe they know
the teachings of Christianity very well.”
 Where does a person begin to renew a
personal passion to pray unceasingly?
Becoming a Follower of Jesus
 Prayer flows from our personal
relationship with Jesus.
 Jesus said, “Follow Me” (Matt. 4:19).
 Believers should share a clear call for
people to follow Jesus.
 The followers of Jesus Christ were first
called Christians in the first century as
an insult (see Acts 11:26).
 The followers of Jesus should act like
Him so there is no doubt that they are
Christians.
First, The Creator God Wants a
Relationship with His Creation
 Creator and creation
– People need a relationship with the
Creator God.
– Peace (reuniting what has been separated)
only comes through Him.
– God is worthy of our absolute trust in His
love and justice.
– A broken relationship with Jesus is the
primary reason for prayerlessness or
ineffective prayer.
 God seeking humankind
– Much of the Bible is God seeking
humankind to restore His relationship with
them.
– Romans 1:25 “they exchanged truth of God
for a lie.” Humans are not ultimately
satisfied with religious rituals. Nor are they
ultimately satisfied with the self-centered
accumulation of wealth.
– We must meet God on His terms.
– Our knowing about God is dependent on
biblical, consistent prayer and Bible study.
 Confronting the lies of the culture
– Satan has blinded people from the truth.
– All of creation points to a Creator.
– God is taking the initiative to bring His
creation to relationship with Him.
– God sent Jesus to show humankind how
to know the Creator.
– Humankind must admit to themselves and
to God that He is Creator.
Second, Humankind’s Problem is
Disobeying God and Not Knowing
What God Wants
 Sin is to disobey God (see Rom. 3:23)
– Our problem is we want to instruct the
Creator.
– There is no degree of acceptable sin. Sin
undermines effective prayer.
 God is holy
– Any sin carries the consequence of being
separated from God (see Rom. 6:23).
– The culture teaches people that they will
not go to hell.
 Hell is horrible (see Luke 16:19-31)
– People going to hell is not God’s choice
but ours.
– Every Christian is commanded to warn
people away from hell.
 Being good is not enough
–Allowing Jesus to replace good activities
with moral change (holiness) is the only way
to heaven.
–The Bible is the primary way to learn what
God wants for and from His creation.
–Humans must determine what authority they
will follow.
 Confess and repent (see Acts 26:20)
– People must admit to God that His way is
better than their way.
– We must admit (confess) that we have
disobeyed Him.
– We should know God’s requirements.
– Begin a life of obedience to the teachings
of Jesus (see 1 Sam. 15:22). For some
Christians it is easier to sacrifice than to
obey. Other believers refuse to sacrifice
any time, talent, or money for eternal
causes.
Third, God Provided the Solution to
our Problem through Jesus
 Jesus is the only way to God
– God sent His only Son to pay for our
disobedience (see John 3:16,14:6;1 Pet.
3:18).
– The individual’s response is to accept
God’s solution through Jesus.
– Consequences of choosing our way are
severe because it is so dangerous to us.
– Jesus’ death on the cross was so
significant that it affected all of time and all
of history.
 False religion
– False religion tries to convince humans
that changing behavior and activities
results in becoming a moral person (see
Matt. 23:15-19).
– Becoming a Christian is more than just
changing behavior or believing in God (see
Jas. 2:19).
A personal relationship with Christ replaces
all religious pretense. It transforms prayer
from a ritual into communication with our
Lord.
 Confessing Jesus as Lord (see Rom.
10:9-10)
– We become justified (just) through Christ.
People cannot earn their justification.
 Being sure about your salvation
– Satan will try to bring doubt and
discouragement into the believer’s life.
– Christians cannot lose their salvation (see
Rom. 8:38-39; 1 John 5:13). But Satan
works very hard to ruin our testimony so
we cannot take anyone to Heaven with us.
 Growing as a healthy Christian
– Every living thing needs nourishment to
survive and grow (see Rom. 12:1).
– Christians grow as they choose to let
Jesus be Lord of every part of their life.
– Seek to become a living and holy sacrifice
to God.
– Worship includes becoming part of a local
church (see Rom. 6:4).
– Baptism is a public symbol of what has
happened on the inside of the new believer
(see Acts 2:41).
– Renewing our mind comes with Bible
study, prayer, and worship.
Healthy Christians automatically begin to
tell others about Christ.
– Jesus said that He came to “seek and to
save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).
– He who wins souls is wise (see Prov. 11:30).
Conclusion
A vibrant prayer life flows from a relationship
with the Creator God through His Son Jesus in
the power of the Holy Spirit. His enemy, Satan,
seeks to confuse and distort the biblical facts
about prayer.
God has taken the initiative to communicate
with His creation through prayer.
Chapter Two
Praying from a Believer’s Heart
 Only believers have Christ as their
mediator to God. Without the mediator,
unbelievers do not have access to the
throne of God. Prayer is powerless if it
does not go to the throne of God.
 In a masterpiece of subversion, Satan
will convince unbelievers that their
prayer has been answered.
 Prayer will not be answered separate
from God’s requirements for prayer and
for the one praying.
 Study the biblical instructions for
prayer.
The Role of Jesus in our Prayer:
Jesus provides access to the Father
 By the blood
–“We
... enter the holy place by the blood
of Jesus” (Heb. 10:19).
–“Through Him we have our access in one
Spirit to the Father” (Eph. 2:18).
 Made righteous (see Rom. 10:10)
– Humans are made righteous only
through Christ.
– Righteous prayer is effective (see Jas.
5:16).
– Righteousness is right behavior that
comes from holiness.
– Without Jesus there is no
righteousness. Without righteousness
there is no effective prayer.
 Obedience
– The requirement for answered prayer is
obedience to God’s commandments (see 1
John 3:22).
– R.A. Torrey wrote, “God’s promises to
answer prayer are made to certain specific
persons, and God is very careful in His
Word to tell us just who these persons
are.”
 Boldness (see 1 John 5:14)
– 1 John 5:14 shares here is the source
for bold, confident, biblical praying.
– The believer’s prayer of petition must be
according to God’s will.
– Much false teaching results in frustrated
people who could not impose their will on
God.
– Many people become angry with God
because they impose expectations on God
that are not biblical.
The Holy Spirit’s Role in Prayer
 The Holy Spirit plays a key role in the
prayer life of the believer (see Rom.
8:26-27).
 The Holy Spirit helps in our weakness.
 Our human weakness is so great that
prayer requires the Spirit’s help. Some
prayers deserve a “No” answer.
 The Holy Spirit is our advocate in Divine
courts.
 Prayer is not informing omniscient God, it is
recognizing that believers are bowing to
God’s will.
 The intervention of the Holy Spirit brings the
unbeliever’s prayer for salvation to God.
 Many answered prayers of unbelievers are
the result of intercession for them by
believers.
 Works for the good of the believer
– Christians are “called according to His
purpose” (Rom. 8:28).
– Believers must come as Paul did (see 2
Cor. 12:10). What will we endure?
– Jesus wanted to be excused from the pain
of the cross, but He prayed “Your will be
done” because the salvation of humankind
required that sacrifice and pain
(see Matt. 26:42).
-- The work of the Holy Spirit is so crucial
that those outside of Christ have no hope
of effective prayer.
God’s expectations for Prayer: Matthew
6:6-13
 Not just an external activity
– Jesus warns believers that prayer must be more
than mere external activity.
 A spiritual discipline
– Matthew 6:6 emphasizes the discipline of
personal prayer.
 Beware of imitation prayer
– Jesus rejects the misguided devotion of
“meaningless repetition” (Matt. 6:7).
 Focus prayer on the Father
– Prayer is an act of worship to the Father, in the
name of the Son through the power of the Holy
Spirit (Matt. 6:8).
 Verse 9 Jesus contrasts false prayer
with Spirit-led prayer
– Our relationship with “abba” Father comes
through our accepting the Lordship and
sacrifice of Jesus.
– “Hallowed be your name” - respected, not
profaned.
– “Your kingdom come” - Preferring the
reign and rule of Christ.
– “Your will be done” - Praying for His will
over our will.
 Seek God’s influence (see Matt 6:11-13).
- We must acknowledge that our prayer flows
from a life transformed by dependence on the
grace and love of the Creator.
 Prayer, like faith, without works is dead.
- We are often used by God to answer prayer
 Forgiven and forgiveness“
- And forgive us ... as we also have forgiven ...”
Forgiveness for our sin only comes from
Christ. So does the ability to forgive.
 Delivered from temptation
-“Do not Lead us into temptation.” The
word for temptation in Matthew 6:13 is to
test the believer’s strength, loyalty, and
ability for service.
 Powerful, effective prayer requires a
relationship with the Creator
 The Way
- Jesus tells us that access to God is only
through the Son (see John 14:1-12).
 Prayer that does not go to the Father is
powerless. Elijah in 1 Kings 18:20-39.
Conclusion
Prayer is a gift to those who are in Christ.
And even those who are in Christ must
pray according to His will and teachings
to have effective prayer. The only prayer
God hears from an unbeliever is the
prayer of repentance.
Chapter Three
Spiritual Warfare and the Biblical Plan
 Satan’s influence in North America has
grown along with the need for biblical
spiritual warfare.
 Recent books, movies, and TV shows
have raised awareness in the
supernatural.
 We also have seen a shocking decline
in moral and theological foundations.
Rationalism and intellectualism have
undermined belief in a spiritual world.
Secularism and humanism worship the
idols of human achievement.
Three-fold Focus of Spiritual Warfare
1. The conversion of lost people to a
relationship with Jesus Christ.
– Jesus emphasized salvation over their
spiritual authority (see Luke 10:17-20).
– Acts presents examples of SW, but its
emphasis is conversion of the lost (see
Acts 26:18).
– Satan has blinded people (see
2 Cor. 4:3-4).
– Understanding Satan’s nature and purpose
will prevent people from being fooled by
his tactics.
2. Identification of and protection from
Satan’s plan.
– Satan is the enemy. He is the evil one, a thief,
and a murderer (see John 10:10).
– Satan cannot be trusted to direct
(possession) or even influence our life.
– The enemy is Satan, not his followers Jn 3:16
3. Accepting responsibility for biblical
authority and activity.
– Bible teaches all we need about spiritual
warfare. There is a difference in earthly realm
and heavenly realm warfare.
– Below are five biblical responsibilities for
spiritual warfare in the earthly realm.
Prayer: John 17:15, Luke 22:31-32,
The responsibility in warfare prayer is
interceding for other people, not against Satan
and his demons (see 1 Timothy 2:1-8)
The primary responsibility of believers involved
in spiritual warfare is prayer. More prayer
warriors are needed.
Resist, draw near: James 4:7-8. We must draw
near to Jesus or we will lose. It is the knowledge
and use of God’s Word that protects believers
from Satan’s influence (see Eph. 6:17).
Anything that gives Satan a foothold in our lives
can cause us to fall into sin, and sin destroys
our testimony (see 1 John 3:7-12)
Lift up Jesus: John 12:31-32. Lifting Jesus
up will draw people from Satan’s influence. It
is easy to lift up a church or people instead
of Jesus.
Work through local church: Matthew 18:18,
Ephesians 3:10 Primary role of the church for
support, protection, accountability, and
direction. 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 includes
“distinguishing of spirits.”
Error occurs easily without
theological training
or accountability.
Overcome strongholds with the power of
the gospel
2 Corinthians 10:4: only place
strongholds (fortresses) is used in the
Bible. Paul explains in verse 5.
Arguments that try to make individual
will impregnable to God’s will.
Believers do not have to discover and
demolish vast levels of strongholds.
We simply (but not easily) must take
“every thought captive to the
obedience of Christ.”
Satan’s Plan
 Satan’s first tactic is to tell people that God
and the spiritual world are not real (see 2
Tim. 4:3-4).
 A second satanic tactic is to provide fake
examples or incomplete definitions of
salvation, revival, and prayer. He lures
sincere people into works-based cults and
false teachings (see Acts 13:8-10).
 Third, he has confused some believers so
thoroughly that they will not participate in
spiritual warfare.
 He provides decoys that drain
energy, time, and other resources
from the legitimate battle.
 Christians must be careful to
participate only in biblical spiritual
warfare.
Discerning False Teaching
 Studying the Bible will identify false
teaching.
 Many naïve and trusting people have been
led astray by intentional and unintentional
false prophets. Even sincere believers can
become false prophets when we stray from
God’s Word.
 1 John 4:1 says, “do not believe every
spirit… because many false prophets have
gone out into the world.”
 The Bible is the definitive source for
understanding and practicing prayer and
spiritual warfare.
 Be very careful that our theology and
spiritual warfare activities come only from
the Bible.
Spiritual Warfare in the Bible
Five biblical principles are foundational to
understanding and responding to warfare in
the heavenly and earthly realms.
First, God is in control
 Satan constantly questions God’s
sovereignty (see Gen. 3; Matt. 4).
 Satan must come to God for permission to
“sift” believers (see Job 1:6; Luke 22:31).
Do not let Satan’s accusations steal
your joy.
Second, Jesus is God’s Son and has
authority over Satan and his demons.
 Christ alone will dethrone the powers and
place “all things in subjection under His feet”
(1 Cor.15:23-28).
 Jesus disarmed (“unmasked”) the rulers and
authorities with the resurrection (see Col.
2:15).
 Satan and his forces continue working to
remove the influence of Christ and Christ’s
followers.
 Satan is desperate to renew his dominion
with false gods.
 Demons can be cast out and their
activity limited.
– Demons can possess people and animals,
but there is no evidence of them
possessing inanimate objects.
– Mark 5:1-9 is the only instance of Jesus
asking for a demons name. It is descriptive
and not a prescriptive formula for
exorcism.
– In Mark 10 Jesus does not bind any of the
demons he encountered.
– In Luke 4:40-41, the physician Luke
describes that healing some illnesses is
different from exorcism.
 Jesus binds Satan. Carefully study these
verses.
– Matthew 12:22-29 shows what Jesus did
and completed by binding the strong man.
– There is no evidence that Christians are to
become involved in binding Satan and his
demons. Paul nor anyone in the New
Testament ever binds Satan.
– The church is to carry out on earth the
decisions already made in heaven (see
Matt. 18:15-19). It does not refer to binding
demons in people or to binding demons in
general.
Third, Satan is the enemy of God and
humankind.
 Satan and his demons are fallen
angels.
– In Luke 10:18, Jesus describes watching
“Satan fall from heaven like lightning.”
– Judgment of Satan (see Matt. 25:41; 2 Pet.
2:4).
– Demons have supernatural power (see Ex.
7:11). This is the danger of the “If it works,
use it” philosophy of some people
involved in spiritual warfare.
– Beware of “fleshly wisdom” (2 Cor. 1:12).
 Satan tempts and influences people
(see Acts 14:2).
– Satan, his demons, and his followers
are working against God and His
people (see Matt. 4:1-11).
– The followers of Satan can hinder
Christians.
– Christians can be influenced to work
against the kingdom. Beware of
Satan’s influence more than
possession (see John 13:2).
Fourth, there is a battle between good
and evil.
 The battle between good and evil predates
the creation of humankind (see Rev. 12:7-12).
 The Bible warns believers that there is a
personal and cultural war between good and
evil.
 Satan’s purpose is to disobey God and lead
others to do so (see Gen. 3:1-8, Matt. 4).
 Life can only be understood by acknowledging that good and evil are at war with each
other.
 The culture tries to explain evil in secular
terms.
Fifth, the difference between warfare in
the heavenly realm and the earthly realm.
 Angels are the key warriors in the
heavenly realm.
– The current popularity of angels has led to
many false perceptions about their work
and nature.
– Angels are not the spiritual remains of
humans (see 2 Pet. 2:4-11).
– In Daniel 10:13-20. Daniel does not
discern, map, bind, or pray against a
territorial spirit.
– God and His angels are in warfare in the
heavenly realm and this is usually
unknown by humankind.
- There is no evidence that believers have
been given authority to be involved at that
level.
• Believers should daily confront Satan’s
influence on a personal and cultural
level in the earthly realm.
– A congregation that is not transforming
lives and impacting the culture is just
competing with social agencies.
– The culture needs the truth of Christ.
– Paul took no authority to deal in the
heavenly realm of spiritual warfare.
Conclusion
Understanding and practicing biblical
spiritual warfare is important in the
postmodern culture.
Not everyone involved in the Spiritual
Warfare Movement is familiar with all of
its teachings and theological error.
Spiritual warfare ultimately is won or
lost in the conversion of lost people to
Jesus and discipling them through a
local congregation.