Prayer Guidelines
14 April 2013 PM – John 14:12-15 – Scott Childs
Introduction: Though we would not say this, our actions often imply, “Why pray when you can worry?” I wonder how many blessings we have missed because we do not pray. The songwriter put it this way, “O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear; All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer.” We are the losers when we do not pray.
Transition: God has made prayer available for every Christian, yet He has placed several conditions on prayer. This evening we will note a few of those conditions so God can answer our prayers.
I. We Must Pray in Faith John 14:12
A. Faith is believing – believing on Christ
1. In verse 12, Jesus was addressing those who believe on Him. Prayer is only for true Christians. If you are not a Christian, you have not been reconciled to God and you have no right to go to Him in prayer.
2. If you are a Christian, Jesus Christ is your High Priest, and you have open access to approach God in prayer.
Hebrews 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
B. Faith is believing God is able to answer prayer
1. Faith is not a wish, hope, or dream. Faith is acting on trusted information.
2. We must believe that God is able to answer prayer. Why pray if God is helpless? Consider what God says about His abilities.
Jeremiah 32:27 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?
Luke 1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
Ephesians 3:20-21 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
3. God gave some Bible promises to specific people, but if God gives a clear promise that is for Christians today, you can claim it by faith. For example:
James 1:5-6 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
II. We Must Pray in Jesus’ Name John 14:13-14
A. First, we must know what that means.
1. It is not simply tacking the phrase “in Jesus name, Amen” at the end of your prayer. That is just a reminder of what we must do.
2. Praying in Jesus name is asking for only what Jesus authorises.
Let’s say I had a credit account at Bunning’s and you were doing a plumbing job for me. I might say to you, “If you need anything, get it at Bunning’s and put it on my account.” That does not authorise you to buy flowers for your garden and charge them to my account. It means you can buy any needed supplies for my plumbing job. The same is true of praying in Jesus’ name. He must authorise it.
3. In his first epistle, John calls this praying in the will of God.
1 John 5:14-15 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
4. It takes work to find the will of God so you can pray in Jesus’ name.
a) You must search the Bible for guidance. Make sure that your request does not go against what God has said.
b) You must spend time asking God for wisdom.
c) You must evaluate your motives. Be sure your request is not selfish or greedy.
d) You must be sure your request will glorify God.
B. Next, we must know what it includes.
1. It includes “whatsoever” and “anything” we ask in Jesus’ name (John 14:13-14). We can pray for anything that Jesus would authorise.
2. Note the context of these promises back in verse 12.
a) Jesus said that those who believe on Him would do His works. While Jesus’ works included miracles to authenticate His Person, much of His work was preaching the gospel. The apostles did some miracles, but the Bible gives us no indication that all Christians did miracles. Miracles authenticated the gospel. Once that purpose was complete, the miracles died out. Therefore, the “works” were more about spreading the gospel.
b) Jesus said that believers would do greater works than He did. He would go back to His Father and the Holy Spirit would come to indwell the believers and enable them to spread the gospel with greater effectiveness. 3000 trusted Christ after Peter’s sermon on Pentecost.
c) In context, Jesus was authorising believers to pray for whatsoever and anything that would advance the work of spreading the gospel.
d) Jesus was not authorising you to pray for a new a yacht or any other selfish desire.
III. We Must Pray in Loving Obedience John 14:15
A. Asking God for something implies we love Him.
1. A person who does not claim to love God has no business asking Him for anything.
2. One who loves Jesus Christ has the right to ask Him for help to do His work of sharing the gospel.
B. Loving God is more than talk
1. Jesus reminds us that love is an action not a feeling. Love is giving of oneself to meet the needs of another or to please another.
2. Knowing our sinful natures, Jesus reminds us that if we truly love Him we will keep His commandments. In other words, we must lovingly obey Christ’s commands before we can expect Him to answer our prayers. What are His commands? Here are a few.
a) The NT repeats all of the 10 Commandments except keeping of the Sabbath. (Put God first, bow to no image, do not use God’s name in vain, honour parents, do not kill, do not steal, do not commit adultery, do not covet, and do not lie). Jesus summed these up in two commands.
Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
b) Jesus said that hate was as bad as murder, lust was as bad as adultery, and we must forgive others before He will forgive us.
c) Jesus added the 11th Command, to love other Christians as Christ loves us.
d) He commanded believers to let their light shine and to go into all the world and preach the gospel.
3. A Christian who has unconfessed sin in his life cannot expect to receive anything in answer to prayer.
Psalm 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
The story is told of a young woman who was angry with God because He allowed her father to die even though she prayed for her father’s recovery. When a preacher read her John 14:15 and asked her if she was keeping Christ’s commands, she turned red and hung her head in shame. She had been living an immoral life.
4. If you have sinned, confess it to God and stop doing it.
Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
Conclusion: God is a prayer-answering God. However, we must meet His conditions of prayer. This evening we have noted several of those conditions. If you are an obedient Christian and you ask in faith for things that Christ will authorise, you can expect to receive your requests. If you are not a Christian or if you have unconfessed sin in your life, you need to get right with God this evening so that you can pray.
Song: Nothing Between – 321