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5th Retreat: Unanswered Prayer Session 2

31 May 2007

YAG RETREAT
Session #2
Thursday, 31 May 2007
A STUDY ON COMMON PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED IN THE REALM OF PRAYER
PROBLEMS IN OUR PRAYER-LIFE

1. Hindrances to Praying meaningfully and effectively

a) The problem of “hypocrisy”          Matthew 6:5

b) The problem of “wrong influence”          Matthew 6:7

c) The problem of being unable to forgive          Matthew 6:14-15

d) The problem of the weakness of the flesh          Matthew 26:41

e) The problem of doubts          James 1:6-8

2. Help offered

a) The Model Prayer          (The Lord’s Prayer – Matthew 6:9-13)

b) Personal example of the Lord Jesus

i) Spontaneous Prayer          Matthew 11:25-27

ii) Prolonged Prayer          Matthew 4:1-2 (40 days/nights)

iii) Consistent Daily Discipline          Mark 1:35 (Early morning prayer)

iv) Special circumstances          Matthew 26:36-46 (Gethsemane)

c) Deep insights on Prayer

i) The High Priestly Prayer          John 17

ii) The Ministry of Jesus as our Great High Priest          Hebrews 2-10

d) The Prayer-life of great servants of God

i) Moses (Book of Exodus in particular)

ii) Jeremiah (Book of Jeremiah)

iii) David (as recorded and revealed in his Psalms)

BASIC PRAYER CONSIDERATIONS (The starting point)

1. Paul’s 1st prayer for the Ephesians          Ephesians 1:15-19

a) Prayer for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to do a deep work in our life.          Ephesians 1:17

b) Prayer for eyes of understanding to be enlightened          Ephesians 1:18

c) Prayer for deep knowledge of what it means to be saved: –

i) Hope of God’s calling          Ephesians 1:18

ii) The riches of His glory of His inheritance in the saints          Ephesians 1:18

iii) The exceeding greatness of God’s power working in us          Ephesians 1:19

d) Measuring our prayers against the benchmark above

i) Comparison

ii) Contrast

iii) Challenge

2. Paul’s 2nd prayer for the Ephesians (The Next Stage)          Ephesians 3:14-21

a) Strengthened with might in the inner man (another work of the Spirit of God)          Ephesians 3:16

b) That Christ’s Love and Presence Indwelling believers may be fully understood

i) Rooted          Ephesians 3:17

ii) Grounded          Ephesians 3:17

c) Comprehension of the Love of Christ that passes all knowledge          Ephesians 3:18-19

i) Length

ii) Breadth

iii) Depth

iv) Height

d) Filled with all the fullness of God          Ephesians 3:19

e) Commended to and Almighty God who is able to accomplish all of the above and more          Ephesians 3:20

f) All to be done with the glory of God in mind          Ephesians 3:21

g) Evaluating our prayer requests

i) Comparison

ii) Contrast

iii) Challenges